Transportation is a fundamental element of development.
Most of Africa’s rural population have no access to any form of transport and people have to walk long distances to access economic opportunities, education, healthcare, shops and other community services.
Rural schoolchildren are particularly badly affected by this lack of mobility. For instance, in South Africa, of the 16 million children in school, 12 million walk to school. Of these, 500,000 walk more than two hours each way, spending four hours getting to school and back each day.
The bicycle is the most effective and economical method of quickly (and permanently) addressing some of the problems relating to lack of mobility in the disadvantaged communities of South Africa. Bicycles play a vital role in advancing sustainable socio-economic development in both rural and urban communities around the world.
Current Projects.
Qhubeka’s adult projects focus on skills development, micro-finance for bikes, and healthcare.
Qhubeka’s child projects focus on enterprise development, environment and climate control, education and sport. Children earn their bikes by participating in community based solutions to environmental issues and climate control. Children grow trees (tree-preneurs) or remove litter or invader species (green-preneurs) to earn their bikes.
- EDUCATION:
Child’s commute to school reduced by 75%
- SPORT:
Sport Infrastructure cost per child reduced by 90%
- ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
Micro-finance loan recipient earnings increased by 500%
- HEALTHCARE:
Healthcare worker OVC visits increased by 400%