Lifestyle

CycloFemme 2017: Ride your Bike and Empower Women!

Join the worldwide CycloFemme Ride for World Bicycle Relief 12th – 14th May and help empower student girls in rural Africa

Words by Adele Mitchell
Twitter: @adelemitchell Instagram:@adelemitchell5

As female cyclists, we know all about the independence, self-empowerment and joy that riding our bikes give us. Now there’s an opportunity to share that empowerment worldwide – simply by going for a ride with your mates, cycling club or family (or on your own, if you prefer!).

Afghan women cycle for freedom and a Nobel prize

How? By taking part in the 6^th Annual CycloFemme Ride on the weekend of 12 – 14^th May, which this year is supporting World Bicycle Relief.

Riders from around the world are encouraged to share the joy of cycling through self-initiated fundraising rides. The donations raised will provide life-changing bicycles for girl students living in rural Kenya, where distance is a barrier to education.

The cost of providing a bicycle to a student is just £95: and what’s more, the funds raised will be matched by an anonymous donor, thus doubling the number of bicycles provided for girl students.

And of course, donations of any amount will collectively add up and provide many life-changing bicycles for students in need.

The Power of Bicycles

“Together we believe that bicycles will empower women and girls to create change.” – CycloFemme

World Bicycle Relief is a non-profit organisation with a simple but incredibly powerful mission: to distribute specially designed, high-quality bicycles to mobilise people through the Power of Bicycles

In rural Kenya and other developing countries, many factors contribute to girls dropping out of school in much higher numbers than boys: obligatory household chores, distance to school, sexual assault and child marriage. These barriers stand between young girls and bright futures. A bicycle can remove these barriers, keep girls in school and keep them safe as they travel to school.

To date, WBR has delivered over 350,000 specially designed, high-quality bicycles – with many going directly to students – and trained over 1,200 mechanics in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. The bicycles are built to withstand the challenging terrain and conditions in rural, developing areas. Research shows that as a result of having access to a bicycle, students attend class more regularly and improve their academic performances.

CycloFemme riders have the potential to put more bicycles into the hands of girls fighting for their education so that they can ride into bright futures.

I can’t think of a better reason to go cycling.

You can register your ride and donate over at the CycloFemme website here.