BEN BEC’s (Bicycling Empowerment Centres) & staff actively building Qhubeka bicycle wheels, under the expertise of our Warehouse Manager and Mechanic, Solly Jones. We are excited to have been given this opportunity by Qhubeka Charity
Yet another successful bike distribution in Swellendam. On 15th August 2018 we handed over 10 x bike4all’s to Bontebok Primary School, following our distribution at VRT Pitt Primary School the month before. Was our absolute pleasure sharing safe cycling with such well behaved children of Bontebok and VRT Pitt Primary schools. Special thanks goes out to Rohan Germishuys at PETRICHOR ADVENTURES and Railton Foundation Swellendam for driving this bicycle project in Swellendam. Gives us great pleasure to add mobility to the Swellendam community. Thank you Mr Solomon, Headmaster of Bontebok Primary for your hospitality.
BEN has officially been added as a beneficiary on the “My School Card” programme.
If you want to empower us, to empower others through bicycles, kindly update your details online to change your beneficiary https://www.myschool.co.za/supporter/update/ OR sign up for a card and add us as a beneficiary https://www.myschool.co.za/supporter/apply/
Mandela Day 2018 in Rooidakke (Grabouw) Community cleaning up the Park. Special thanks to our friends in the cycling world Pedal Power Association Bike4All Qhubeka Charity Open Streets Cape Town Blendavenda smoothie bikes Trail’s End, Grabouw Beautiful, LifeBrands and the local municipality. Biggest thank you goes to the people and children of the Rooidakke Community. Was so humbling to see so many people out making a difference. Mr Nelson Mandela would be proud! Recycling bins have been painted and placed along the river bed to deter future littering. The recycling bins, with many other clean up tasks have earned 38 of the children in the community to receive bikes. Distribution will take place on the 2nd August 2018.
On Monday, 25th June 2018 we handed over 10 #bike4all bicycles to VRT Pitt Primary School in Swellendam. Alpha Fransman from Railton Foundation Swellendam contacted Rohan Germishuys PETRICHOR ADVENTURES for a plea for bikes at the school. Rohan contact Albert from Cape Country Unplugged, who phoned Tim Mosdell from Bicycling Empowerment Network. This is how it all happened to get bikes into VRT Pitt School. The Principal, Mr Isaac Langeveldt, together with learners from the school were over the moon to receive the bicycles. We had the pleasure of meeting the Swellendam Municipal Manager, Mr Anton Groenewald and happy to report that Robert Vogel from Pedal Power Association will be assisting Swellendam with safe cycling signage in the near future. #bike4all will be back in a month to hand over more bikes in Swellendam.
Open Streets special guest for this month’s #Bike2Work Bike Bus is Louis de Waal, Founder and Chairman of Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN) and one of the co-founders of the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Register here if you are joining him! https://goo.gl/forms/
BEN and PPA were in Grabouw celebrating Youth Day with the children in the community. Youth Day was organised by TDK Stakeholders at The Gerald Wright Memorial Hall, supported by Grabouw B E A U T I F U L Campaign and Trails End Hotel
Tuesday, 12th June 2018 was a big day for Masiphumelele High School. Pedal Power Association and Bicycling Empowerment Network, through their #bike4all programme, handed over 20 bicycles and helmets to the school to establish cycling as a sport at the campus. The CTCTT was also on hand to handover a cheque to the Principal, Mr M’Afrika, to say thanks to the school for running an excellent water table during the Cape Town Cycle Tour. Each learner at the school was also given a small gift for being such awesome cycling ambassadors! In the coming weeks BEN and PPA will return to the school to run safe cycling and basic maintenance training.
To celebrate World Bicycle Day 2018, Open Streets joined forces with Cape Town Bicycle Mayor, Lebogang Mokwena, and partners – Bicycling Empowerment Network, Pedal Power Association and Velokhaya Life Cycling Academy – for a day of awareness-raising and collaborative learning. Event was held at Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha.
Welcome to our new intern at BEN, Ayabonga Komani from Khayelitsha, who will be learning mechanical skills and assisting Solly and Jason in the warehouse. We look forward to seeing your growth and progress at BEN
