Our September 2007 cover story on Moscow, Idaho’s Village Bicycle Project was one of our most popular features ever. We still get calls about VBP six months later. This morning we received a great up on the groups activities we wanted share:
Greetings everyone,
Attached at last is the 2007 Annual Report, for which
I am most grateful to Meg Watson for design, editing,
printing, and mailing.
I’ve been in Ghana since November, why?
1- theres only so much you can learn about your
project on a tight schedule
2- I wanted to try some new ideas
3- I wanted time for fantastic bike rides
4- once you get here, life is much cheaper
5- Ghana is fun
6- Idaho winter can be sooo long
NEWS UPDATE
1- still growing, and a twist
1.5- upcoming events in Spokane
2- Senegal
3- bike donors and shippers
4- Ghana finds oil
5- Ayamye* now on DVD
6- web updates and more
1- STILL GROWING, AND A TWIST
We still havent reached our limits of growth in
Ghana. 8500 bikes sent in 07, up by two thousand, and
1700 people trained and equipped with discounted
bikes, a doubling over 2006.
As we are growing, we are also narrowing our focus
of recipients. We’re reaching more remote places,
where bikes are more desperately needed, and more
women. Nearly half of Ghana’s people live away from
major roads and towns, and transport vehicles dont
like the rough roads. Fares are high, and vehicles
are rare. More of our bikes are going to places like
that.
More and more women are getting our bikes. We put the
word out to Peace Corps Volunteers, and they are
recruiting the women.
This year, we want to emphasize follow up repair
training, to meet those who want to be more repair
self-sufficient, with of course, a focus on women.
1.5- UPCOMING EVENTS IN SPOKANE
May 12-16, Bike to Work Week
Wens, May 14. Ayamye film showing at Mountain Gear at
12 noon, and again at 7 PM at REI. Discussion
follows, I’ll be there.
On-going through the summer, Pedals 2 People is
collecting bikes for distribution to local needy, AND
for shipment to Ghana in September.
johnspeare@gmail.com for more info, see
www.pedals2people.org
2- SENEGAL
Early this year we almost started programs in Senegal.
Partnering with the Academy for Educational
Development (aed.org) and Bikes for the World
(bikesfortheworld.org) to support school girls with
bikes and repair ed, plans halted at the 11th hour
when permission to import used bikes was denied by the
Senegal government. The ban was imposed about seven
years ago, probably to protect domestic bike
production, which has since collapsed.
I have email saying an exception will be granted and
we are all hoping to implement in fall of this year.
more soon at villagebicycleproject.blogspot.com
3- BIKE DONORS AND SHIPPERS
8500 bikes to VBP in 2007; 24,000 in nine years,
thats a lot of bike donors, and a lot of work by
our collector groups. Thank you all!
Bikes Not Bombs in Boston is #1, 8000 bikes from them
alone
#2 is Re~Cycle, based in Colchester, England
Bike Works in Seattle is third,
And our fourth biggest bike supplier is Bikes for the
World in Virginia.
You can now find out where to donate bikes on our home
page pcei.org/vbp
4- GHANA FINDS OIL
Commercial quantities of oil have been found off-shore
in the far west, and it will be interesting to see
what this does to transport policy, attitudes and
traffic. I’ve heard one year before commercial
quantities will be pumped, and ten years to reach peak
production.
5- AYAMYE* NOW ON DVD
Touring 15 cities worldwide with the Bicycle Film
Festival in 2007, Ayamye* does a wonderful job of
visualizing what we do, and we had absolutely no
control of the product.
Great Ghana visuals, fun music, lovely story.
For your copy, go to ayamye.org
6-WEB UPDATES & MORE NEWS
Updated the curriculum for our One-day workshop, at
pcei.org/vbp/onedayout.htm
Volunteer possibilities pcei.org/vbp/
A program to foster confidance in girls, with bike
riding at the center pcei.org/vbp/girlpower.htm
I have a blog, with more news and tangential rants
villagebicycleproject.blogspot.com
The complete report for 2007 is attached.
All the best to you in 2008!
David Peckham
Director
Thanks to DOMA Coffee Roasters for your support!
to subscribe to Village Bicycle Project news list, send message with ‘subscribe’ in subject line, and where you live in message body. This is so you dont get local news for Seattle if you live in California.
website pcei.org/vbp
Village Bicycle Project is a program of Palouse-Clearwater Environmental Institute, pcei.org
