Roman Posolda | archiv Kola pro Afriku
A bicycle can change lives – not only in remote Gambia, but also here in Czechia. The Bikes for Africa project brings donors, volunteers and partners with Gambian schools, communities and local mechanics together. Since 2012, it has brought mobility, education, hope and a new chance
to thousands of children and adults.
What role does the bicycle play in your life? For children in Gambia, it may be the only path to education and hope for a better future. Even an ordinary bicycle lying in the attic or garage in the Czech Republic can become a life-changing tool.
Founded in Ostrava in 2012, the Bikes for Africa project connects Czech donors, volunteers and partners with Gambian schoolchildren, families and bike mechanics. It operates as a multi-target initiative, linking a social
project in the Czech Republic with practical development aid in Gambia.
In the Czech Republic, people at risk of social exclusion, such as men serving prison sentences, those newly released, the homeless and long-term unemployed, are involved in the preparation of the bicycles. Teenagers from children’s homes and children from excluded localities are also actively involved. The project promotes integration, education and the development of artisan skills, and strengthens the family ties of those involved.
In Gambia, bicycles bring mobility and more accessible education to children. Starting in 2021, children assemble their bikes from pre-made bike kits, learn to take care of them and develop
community cooperation. Each partner
school has a bike workshop and bike parking. Some of the 130 trained bicycle
mechanics in Gambia work in partner schools, where they take care of the project’s sustainability and teach local children to take care of their bicycles.
“The bikes help Gambian children get to school, but at the same time they also help people in Czechia get back on a decent life path,” says Roman Posolda, the project’s founder. Men serving time in Ostrava prison prepare, as volunteers, bicycle kits from donated bicycles, which school children use to build their own bicycles. The project brings donors, volunteers, teachers, parents and children on two continents together, creating a true chain of kindness.
Bike Centre – facilities and a vocational school in the heart of Gambia
The Bike Centre in Gambia’s hinterland not only serves as a storehouse of cycling material for partner schools, but also as a venue for creative workshops. The centre teaches
locals the craft, creates job opportunities, and makes bikes available to schools and the community. A bicycle workshop has also been set up in the prison in Janjanbureh, where five prisoners are working on bicycles as part of their reintegration and to support the project in Gambia.
How to get involved in the project
• Donate your unwanted bike
• Buy a reconditioned bike or parts
• Support the project financially or as a volunteer
• Organise a fund-raising event
The Bikes for Africa project shows that even a simple machine can change lives. Bicycles build bridges, lead to creativity, open up hope and second chances – for children in Gambia and people in the Czech Republic. As Roman Posolda says: “Bicycles connect. Together we give them new life and the result is help from many sides. With good will for others, we help ourselves.”
Facts about the project:
Year of foundation: 2012, Ostrava
Country of operation: Czech Republic, Gambia
Number of children in Gambia: over 13,000
Partner schools: approx. 80
Trained mechanics: over 130
Activities in the Czech Republic: volunteer workshops, integration of prisoners and people at risk of social exclusion, community events
Main partners: Toptrans, Rubena, DB Schenker, Firefighters of the Czech Republic, Ostrava City, Moment Foundation, ČEZ Foundation
