Abakobwa Barashoboye!

Girls CAN! Ten years ago the first Black African cyclists competed in the Tour de France. Ten years. That seems like yesterday in the timeline of bicycle racing, but for young women it feels like forever. Like most sports, cycling was dominated by men. The riders were men. The spectators, men. In many African countries the women were busy...working. Working in the fields, working at home, working to raise their families...there was no time for games. 

In the last decade that has started to change. Within our partner programs, we have started to see an increase in interest in learning mechanics and racing among women and young girls. Providing women another outlet to build better futures. Village Bicycle Project in Sierra Leone and Learn Work Develop in Rwanda have both placed emphasis on training and encouraging women in areas of cycling. 

Girls need spaces to showcase their potential. Winning challenging cycling competitions has made me stronger, more hardworking and determined. I dream of representing my country in international competitions to inspire more girls to follow their dreams.

Amina LWD Cycling Team

Amina is a rising star in the field of cyclists in Rwanda. She races with the Learn Work Develop Cycling Team, which is a team we support. Team members have received bikes and racing gear through our shipments....donated items to Bikes for the World. The mission of LWD is to empower young girls and women. They help women grow into strong leaders who understand their value and discover their gifts. Cycling is one of those tools of empowerment. 

LWD believes (and we agree) that if women gain confidence through racing, they will have a better view of themselves. They will be stronger and less willing to go along with societal norms that may hold them back from their dreams. Maybe they will change other people's views or inspire the next generation of young girls. 

Amina kept asking her mom to come watch her race. But her mom was too busy, she never had time 'to waste' because she was busy working. Finally she came this year to see Amina race, and she won. She saw Amina pushing herself to be the best. She saw her gain courage on her bike and saw the happiness it brought her. "I realized that it helps these young girls to be free and use their voices."

Amina may be motivated to win a race for herself and her team, but she also recognizes the weight her journey carries for her community, most especially the young girls who will follow her in her tracks. She  knows first hand that sport is more than just a game, it can transform lives, break barriers, and change stereotypes. She is ready for the challenge.

We are breaking gender norms and building a society where every girl believes in her power. Sports are not just games, they are a movement for equality, inclusion and unstoppable change.