Movements take time to grow and evolve. they are never easy and no one person controls or drives a movement, but a collective group of minds sharing a common set if ideas and beliefs. Like the book, ‘It’s not about the bike”, the story of Lance Armstrong, bicycles for Humanity is not about the bike, but what happens when people worlds apart decide to set about change through the gift of mobility a bicycle can deliver. the following are few thoughts and ideas about the Bicycles for Humanity Movement. if you would like to contribute and become a part of this global initiative, everyone is welcome.
Vision and Strategy
The purpose of this document is to provide an overview of our movement and to share with all, our beliefs, model and strategy. The founding principals of the B4H Movement are as strong today as when our movement was founded 6 years ago. There are 4 guiding beliefs that our movement grows from. In the last 6 years, our movement has delivered over 70 containers or 40,000 plus bikes to Africa from over 30 chapters globally, literally thousands of volunteers and it continues to grow at a very rapid pace, all without any staff, support, central administration or monies spent. We are a pure grassroots movement and what connects and drives us is the common belief that , “A Bicycle can make a difference”
We believe that the gift of mobility that a bicycle can provide is universal, essential and empowering to all. Mobility delivered by a bicycle allows healthcare workers to do more, enables youth to travel long distances to school, entrepreneurs to establish business’s and deliver goods to distant markets. It also allows families to carry food and water long distances, hopefully allowing the family unit more time to be together.
To be truly sustainable, it must be embraced and accepted by our partner communities, with local teams taking full responsibility for the on going support of the program. Bicycles are delivered in Containers, local community members are trained in bike service and support and, with these BEC’s or Bicycle Empowerment Centers becoming the foundation to long term support, development, job creation and community development at many levels. Community is key to our movement, we encourage chapters here to work together with community groups and chapters in Africa. Global teamwork is key to both an understand and the development of new models to solve the problems facing many globally.
Bicycles for Humanity is a community based grassroots movement. Other than our main website, supporting a directory of all projects, there is no central organization, management or administration of any kind. We are a pure, highly efficient movement with community leaders organizing, their chapters, raising the funds to send the containers of bikes to Africa, to communities there that they want to support. This model allows all to organize, fundraise and collect in a manner that makes sense to them and their community. It also allows chapter heads to take charge, be accountable and to feel empowered as well as others on their team. In short, it is a very flat, very efficient model that allows whoever puts in energy to help do it the way they feel best. Much of our movements growth comes from individuals who, rather than just volunteer for a NGO or Non Government organization and just be a volunteer with little say, choose to start their own organization, while still being connected to a common vision through the movements belief’s.
Efficient models that empower the individual and the chapter to do more is the last founding key. Deep down everyone wants to make a difference, to contribute and to know that their efforts of helping others helps themselves and their communities at the same time. The B4H movement is really a model or template that allows all to help others globally and locally. It allows the creative energies and forces of many to focus on a very simple goal helping deliver the gift of mobility through a bicycle.
In Summary, The Bicycles for Humanity Movement Believes:
Bicycles are universal, everyone understands the power of a bike.
Individuals and their communities are empowered to make a difference.
The deliverables are clear and every project has a start and an end.
Accountability and responsibility stays with the chapter.
It’s fun and very rewarding on many levels, local, regionally and globally.
Bicycles for Humanity Developed World Chapter Model
Chapters and local community leadership are the foundation to the B4H Grassroots Movement. Chapter membership is open to all, individuals, schools, civic clubs, church’s, sports teams, really anyone who believes that a bicycle can make a difference and is interested in sending at least one container of bicycles a year to a community partner/chapter in Africa.
4 Guiding Principals of Chapters in the developed world are as follows:
Chapters are free to organize in any way that makes sense to them. Bicycles for Humanity existing chapter leaders and teams will mentor you and your team to the best of their abilities. All we ask is that a developed country Chapter try to deliver on their commitment of sending one container of bikes a year. If the chapter has raised funds and does not complete the process of sending a container, than we ask that that chapter forward any funds they have to an existing chapter. Chapters cover the cost of buying the container, which becomes the BEC, Bicycle Empowerment Center, all local logistics, plus the cost of Ocean freight to the closest African port. Depending on the partner relationship in Africa, some chapters may also cover the in country shipping and logistics on their own or in partnership with their African Community partner
Every chapter and chapter leader will be listed on our website, www.bicycles-for-humanity.org and in the main B4H directory, plus they will have a link to their website, Facebook or WordPress page. We encourage all chapters to support all 3 social media platforms, plus use Twitter to keep all informed locally, regionally and globally. We encourage chapters to follow a uniform naming model, example, Bicycles for Humanity, Ottawa. www.b4h-ottawa.org as an example. Today’s social media allows for all to spread the movement message virally and we encourage all chapters to establish links and favorites pages with all other chapters. This way you both learn what is going on within the movement, plus gain ideas on how to make your chapter better
Chapters are free to pick whatever community they want to support in Africa. In many countries like Namibia our movement has a long history with the Bicycle Empowerment Network and many chapters partner with this group. Other chapters establish their own partner programs in Africa and any new or existing chapter is free to join these initiatives, or you can start your own and grow B4H membership around your project. B4H has a set of logo’s and images that all chapters are encouraged to use, we also do not mind if you create your own or a variation of one of our existing ones.
By telling your story locally, the media is drawn to the efficiencies and value that a B4H Chapter partner creates in their community. We encourage all chapters to keep telling your story and the need for bicycles in Africa. We also encourage chapters to work together, share ideas and where possible establish relationships that are good for all chapters and communities in Africa.
In Summary Bicycles for Humanity Chapters are:
Free to organize in whatever way they like and support the community of their choice.
We ask that all chapters try and send at least one container of bicycles annually.
We encourage teamwork, both here and in Africa and by building community everyone benefits.
We encourage chapters to follow our core naming model and to use social media tools to tell their story and spread the word.
We respect the chapter structure and encourage all to do the same, while sharing and helping each other.
