Cycle Aid for Africa, a project run by Education Africa, NOCSA and the Osaka Prefectural Government in Japan, has been a major success on all counts. The project aims at redistributing thousands of bicycles that have been abandoned and discarded in the Japanese cities of the Osaka Prefecture to underprivileged schoolchildren and communities in South Africa.
The project was launched on 20 March 1997 by the then Deputy President of South Africa, Thabo Mbeki. Speaking at the launch, Mbeki described Cycle Aid for Africa as a project which represents a "practical way in which we seek to empower communities in their quest for better education". Since then, 11 000 bicycles have been distributed to needy communities in both rural and farming areas of South Africa, and they have been used for the following purposes: Schools: Cycle Aid for Africa has improved the quality of life of many disadvantaged children who now, thanks to the bicycles, cycle to school and back every day. Learners who are using the bicycles are arriving at school early, and their concentration and educational performance are improving. The bicycles are awarded by the schools as incentives for pupils, and they are also presented as prizes. Health: Health workers are using bicycles donated by Cycle Aid for Africa to call on the homes of sick members of their communities, many of whom may live in remote, rural areas. Police: Members of Community Police Forum anti-crime campaigns are using bicycles donated by Cycle Aid for Africa for the policing of rural communities. Other organisations to have benefited from bicycles donated by Cycle Aid for Africa are youth organisations, orphanages as well as anti-Aids campaign groups. The containers in which the bicycles are originally shipped out from Japan are also put to good use. Many of these have been converted into offices or used as storage space for equipment or medical manuals used for training volunteer healthcare workers from the various communities. The distribution of the bicycles, once they have landed in South Africa, is the responsibility of Education Africa's partner in this project, NOCSA (the National Olympic Committee of South Africa). Communities submit their applications for bicycles to NOCSA, who then select applications based on the merit of each individual case as well as the needs of the communities involved. Usually a lesser number of bicycles than was originally applied for is allocated initially. However, after a follow-up visit by one of the NOCSA representatives, the number of bicycles allocated may well be increased. This is to ensure that the bicycles are being put to good use and are being used by those members of the community who are most needy. In most cases, this would be young schoolchildren who have to travel enormous distances to attend school each day. "Thank you so much for the extremely generous donation of the 100 bicycles, as well as the desperately needed container. We are absolutely delighted with this donation." Noeline Clare-Talbot, PRO/Fundraiser for Sparrow Ministries
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