International Day of Rural Women 2022, bicycle donation in rural Kilimanjaro

According to the UN, bicycles are accelerating African women on the pathway out of poverty. This is why at One Bike Tanzania, we decided to organise a bicycle donation on International Day of Rural Women 2022. 

Nearly 1 billion rural people around the world and 70% of rural Africans risk being left behind because they live in communities far from an accessible all-weather road, putting education, healthcare, agricultural inputs, markets and other critical services needed to end the poverty cycle out of reach.

This is why, once again, on October 15, we have joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Day of Rural Women 2022. The theme for this year was “Rural women, key for a world free from hunger and poverty”. 

Bicycle donation for women empowerment Kahe, Kilimanjaro, Tanzania – “Women on Bikes”

Rural access as a gender issue

There is a growing understanding that rural access is also a gender issue. Social and cultural barriers compound the distance between rural women and girls and the services and opportunities they need to thrive.

Rural women mobility is hence very crucial and a key factor for growth and sustainability among women. To be able to fight poverty and hunger they need to also be able to move from one place to another.

Bicycle donation to fight for rural women empowerment

For that reason One Bike Tanzania saw the need of supporting rural women and donated 10 bicycles to a group of women located in rural Moshi, Kilimanjaro. In this village and region, transportation and access to water are great challenges.

This group of women in Kahe village offer environmental protection by planting trees in local schools around Kahe village to help protect the environment. They also do vegetable farming which they supply to schools and help fight hunger problems.

We believe that women are the agents of change and can make a great impact in our community.

The impact of bicycles

Thanks to this bike donation, the women will be able to: 

– Fetch more water and more quickly 

– Have affordable transportation for basic needs and access basic infrastructure

– Save time and money to be able to have other activities 

– Plant more trees by gaining time (as part of their project)

– Increase their income (by selling vegetables to nearby markets)

But also, in Tanzania, one bicycle is never used by only one person. It is rather shared and supports the whole community. So, by giving these bicycles, we know that we are supporting more than “just” 10 women, but actually the whole community, in the long term.

Conclusion

We want to thank everyone, our donors, the local government in Kahe, friends and partners who made this possible. Tour de Kili, ABC Impact

We shall continue doing this to ensure improved rural mobility and increase potential for greater use of bicycles by rural women.

By booking a tour with One Bike Tanzania, you support one of our social and environmental project such as “Women on Bikes” and contributes to support to local community and economy. 

If you have a question, if you would like to support us or if you would like to partner, feel free to get in touch with us, we are always happy to answer.