Who are We
Introduction
At BEN, our overall objective is to promote sustainable social and economic empowerment through the use of bicycles. We do this by ensuring a reliable supply of donated and affordable bicycles to disadvantaged communities and institutions
To do this we have to secure an ongoing stream of donated bikes from our donor partners. We distribute these bikes via various projects and through Community Partners, entrepreneur-based businesses that we help to set up in our target communities. We ensure that beneficiaries can maintain their bikes and that they know how to ride safely. BEN also engages with decision makers and stakeholders to ensure that Non-Motorised (NMT) Transport is properly integrated into transport planning.
Our Key Focus Areas.
BEN has extensive experience for more than 20 years in empowering individuals, organisations and communities through the distribution of bicycles and associated activities. Since being established in 2002 by Louis de Waal, BEN has undertaken regular strategic planning processes to focus and refine our developmental offering. Through this process, seven focus areas have been identified in terms of promoting social and economic empowerment. These include:
• Promoting access to bicycles
• Small enterprise and entrepreneur development and support
• Promoting safe cycling
• Developing community-based mechanics
• Advocacy and policy support in the NMT field
• Promoting sustainability and the green agenda
• Building strategic partnerships with like-minded organisations
Capacity development and empowerment – internal and partnerships
