FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: BICYCLES
- Where do you get the bicycles?
- How can I send you my bicycle?
- What kind of bicycles do you need in Namibia?
- Where do you get your spare parts?
Answers
Where do you get the bicycles?
From partners in the UK, Europe, US and Canada. Some are centralised organisations such as Re~Cycle and Bikes for the World.
Recently we have been working closely with Bicycles for Humanity, an organisation that aims to enables community groups anywhere in the world to collect and ship bicycles to developing countries.
How can I send you my bicycle?
We are not able to collect bicycles through ad hoc donations, unless you happen to be passing through Namibia on holiday. So we suggest you visit Bicycles for Humanity and find out more about how to involve your community in a project to ship a container of bicycles to Namibia. This site also lists centralised collection organisations, around the world, you can check the list to see if there is an organisation near you.
What kind of bicycles do you need in Namibia?
Mountain bikes. The sandy, thorny conditions in rural Namibia mean that only bikes with wide tyres are appropriate for healthcare volunteers. We do however accept donations of high-end road bikes to support Team BEN Namibia and other youth sports cycling development.
Where do you get your spare parts?
We order new parts from suppliers in South Africa, and we receive secondhand ones in the containers from overseas donors.