Growing up in London close to its many parks and commons my bike was front and center to everything I did. Having a bike was pretty much a given, and that’s carried through now to my children and my grandchildren too – I think for most of us growing up our bike was always one of life’s basic staples, no question!

But that’s not the case for many children around the world, not least with most of Africa’s rural population who have little or no access to any transport and where for most the only choice is to walk long distances to reach schools, healthcare, shops and community services. Schoolchildren in these areas are particularly badly affected by lack of mobility which is why THEPartnership supports Qhubeka, a Nguni word meaning “to progress” or “to move forward”. Qhubeka is South Africa’s program within World Bicycle Relief, a global non-profit organization dedicated to advancing education, health and economic opportunities by providing simple, sustainable transportation. So far this year Qhubeka has distributed 4,309 specially designed and locally assembled bicycles, bringing independence and freedom to over 21,545 people.

Research by Statistics South Africa indicates that 11-million out of a possible 17-million students in South Africa walk all the way to school and back and is the only means of getting to and from their classroom. Of the students walking to school half a million walk for more than an hour, around 4-miles, each way, resulting in increased tardiness, frequent absenteeism, exhaustion and often the complete withdrawal from the education system. Bicycles are the most effective and economical method of quickly resolving the problem.

BEAUTIFUL AND WELCOMING

While trying hard to find the means to resolve these challenges it’s good to remember that South Africa is at the same time still one of the world’s most beautiful, diverse and welcoming places on earth and an outstanding and successful destination for meeting and events. Our long-time partner DMC in South Africa, Daryl Keywood, managing director of Walthers Destination Business Solutions Africa, in Johannesburg, has been relentless over many years leading CSR projects, not least at the Ezweni School, to support the less privileged in South Africa. Help us here in North America support Qhubeka in South Africa by proudly wearing a unique Qhubeka bracelet available on its website at Bracelet.  For less than $US10 it becomes a great talking point, especially among children, helping raise awareness of this very worthy cause. Read more about Qhubeka on its website, Facebook and Twitter.