Reading, Riding, and 'Rithmetic
The transformative impact of bikes is immeasurable to this community in Sierra Leone. These ten students received bikes donated to our partner Village Bicycle Project last fall. They all traveled 12 miles a day just to attend school. They would leave home in the dark at 5:30am and walk three hours so they could further their education.
They were selected by VBP to participate in a one-day workshop, where they learned about basic bike maintenance, riding skills, and ultimately were given a bike of their own to use for school. They now commute in less than a hour, saving them more than four hours a day. They have more energy to participate in class and at home, have more free time, and get more sleep.
All of their families are subsistence farmers, using all of their time to tend to food for survival. They had no money to pay for a motorbike ride to school, despite the 12 mile daily commute. Now that they no longer have to devote so much time to walking to school, they are free to help their family farm, tend to their siblings and home errands, and work on their homework, during daylight hours!
For the girls, especially, the bikes provide an opportunity and hope for a brighter future. So many girls are forced to drop out of school when faced with hardships such as a long commute when the family could better use their help at home. By saving time and energy, the girls are permitted to stay enrolled in school and still have time to help with the family chores before and after school.
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