ABOUT
ABOUT US
Bicycles Against Poverty is a registered nonprofit organization that distributes bicycles to individuals in Africa who pay back for the bikes in monthly installments.
BAP primarily focuses on low-income entrepreneurs, predominantly rural farmers, in developing countries. BAP targets communities in need of bicycles and then works to find individuals within those communities who would succeed in our program.
The bike beneficiaries attend two free workshops, a bicycle repair seminar and a money management workshop, which are both taught by local community leaders. After receiving the bike program recipients make small monthly installments, over the course of one to two years, in order to have access to this simple, yet effective, tool that improves quality of life.
The result is a growing community of low-income entrepreneurs who are financially responsible and able to use the bicycle to improve their economic standing as well as access basic social services, such as health care and education.
MISSION
Bicycles Against Poverty utilizes bicycles to increase accessibility to critical resources, facilitate community cooperation, and build financial management skills among low income entrepreneurs.
With BAP, which is based in northern Uganda, the bicycles serve as a tool for income generating activities, community cooperation, and access to social services - such as healthcare. Bicycle recipients make micropayments to BAP, which thereby promotes responsibility over the bicycle, microcredit management skills, and allows BAP to work towards financial sustainability.
HISTORY
Founded in 2008, BAP has already distributed 663 bicycles and reaches over 2,000 individuals on a weekly basis. It recently received its nonprofit status in early 2013 and is now a registered 501(c)3 organization.
BAP helps Ugandans access critical services daily, including: markets to sell goods, individual farms, health clinics, schools, and water sources. Gulu is a region in northern Uganda that has been affected by a civil war that lasted over two decades.
The war-torn area has experienced relative stability for the past few years, yet is still recovering. Most BAP participants share the bicycle with their family members, neighbors, and other community members who are in need of more efficient transportation, thus, our ratio for individuals reached vs. bikes distributed is 5:1.
QUESTIONS?
Or - want to volunteer? Email Molly Burke at [email protected]