The donation forms part of an ongoing partnership between the two organisations aimed at growing cycling at the grassroots level across the country.
Dr. Ebenezer Somiah, Country Director of Village Bicycle Project Ghana, welcomed the Re-Cycle delegation and described the donation as an extension of a working relationship that has already delivered bicycles to school children, health workers and farmers in rural communities. He noted that the federation, as a partner organisation was a fitting recipient for the latest consignment.
Representing Re-Cycle at the ceremony were Charlotte Ward, the charity’s Executive Director, and Mark, its warehouse manager, both of whom travelled from the UK for the handover.
Re-Cycle operates under the name Recycle Bikes for Africa and works with partner organisations across several African countries.
We hope that this donation of three road bikes will help, especially for the girls and the women that are part of this project.”Charlotte Ward, Executive Director, Re-Cycle
Shaaban Mohamed, Secretary General of Ghana Cycling Federation, said the timing of the donation was significant. The federation’s national team travels to Burkina Faso next month for the Tour du Faso, and said the donated bicycles would be put to use during that tour.
Summary
- Three road bicycles donated by Re-Cycle (UK) via Village Bicycle Project Ghana
- Recipient: Ghana Cycling Federation
- National team to use the bicycles at next month’s Tour du Faso, Burkina Faso
- One bicycle earmarked for the women’s cycling project in the Upper East Region
- Federation to press government for duty exemptions on future cycling equipment donations
Shaaban Mohamed said one of the bicycles is expected to be allocated to the federation’s women’s cycling initiative in the Upper East Region, an area where Village Bicycle Project has previously distributed bicycles to schoolchildren through its school cycling project.
He said the federation intended to brief the Minister for Sports and Recreation on the donation and would push for duty exemptions on future consignments of bicycles and equipment brought into the country to support rural communities, farmers, health workers and athletes.
Mohamed thanked Re-Cycle for following through on an earlier commitment made in the UK to support cycling, and extended appreciation to Village Bicycle Project and the media in attendance for their continued support of the sport.
