World Bicycle Relief Funded by Lead Sponsor SRAM
The Story:
World Bicycle Relief was founded in 2005 by SRAM Executive VP F.K. Day and his wife Leah Missbach Day in response to the Indian Ocean Tsunami. World Bicycle Relief partnered with aid organizations on the ground in Sri Lanka to distribute over 24,000 bicycles to aid the rebuilding of lives by providing access to education and healthcare and reconnecting workers to their livelihood.
After the success of this disaster relief program in Sri Lanka, World Bicycle Relief was approached by aid organizations working in Sub-Saharan Africa to assist with volunteer healthcare programs in Zambia where 40% of the population was suffering the effects of HIV/AIDS. In partnership with local aid groups, World Bicycle Relief worked to provide specially designed, locally assembled, rugged bicycles to healthcare workers treating HIV/AIDS patients. Field mechanics were also trained to build, maintain and repair the bicycles.
Today, World Bicycle Relief is working across transforming individuals and their communities through The Power of Bicycles. World Bicycle Relief Buffalo Bicycles are granted through work-to-own or study-to-own programs or purchased by non government organizations corporations or individuals in need of reliable transportation in order to reach clean water, education, healthcare, markets and jobs. To date, World Bicycle Relief has provided over 120,000 bicycles and trained over 200 field mechanics.