Re-Cycle bidding to raise £3,000 to support students in Africa with bicycles

Re-Cycle, the Essex based charity dedicated to changing lives through the power of bicycles, is launching an ambitious appeal to raise £3,000 to give much needed pedal power to school children in Africa.

The successful Cycle to School initiative, which has been running for numerous years, has been steadily transforming lives in Ghana, Sierra Leone and The Gambia, through the donation of bikes from the UK.

Distributed to children most in need through local project hubs, the programme enables students from rural communities to overcome the challenge of long and arduous journeys to school.

In many rural areas of Africa, students face the task of walking miles to reach their schools.

These long commutes often result in late arrivals, absenteeism, and hindered academic performance.

For many girls, the journey is even more challenging due to societal beliefs that undervalue their education.

By bridging the gender gap in education, Cycle to School promotes regular school attendance and safety, fostering a culture of learning and equality in the community.

In The Gambia, Re-Cycle partner WYCE has donated more than 700 bicycles and established a bike repair training centre to train local mechanics through their Cycle to School programme.

Georgia Brown, fundraising manager at Re-Cycle, said: “We are seeing first-hand the difference our bikes are making to supporting a better education for young people, especially girls, living in remote parts of Africa.

“Yet we can achieve so much more – with additional funding we can help extend the scheme and work more with our partners, many of whom are overwhelmed with families asking for bikes.

“The projects are having an impact right across the countries where they operate.  On a recent visit to The Gambia we drove three hours from our partner’s base to visit a school that had just joined the Cycle to School project.  The more money we can raise to support these local projects, the bigger their reach can be across all three African countries.”

Re-Cycle is now calling on supporters to help expand this project.

Contributions — whether one-time donations or ongoing support — will fund bicycles, safety equipment, and training workshops.

To find out more visit: re-cycle.org/cycle-to-school/