The “Pedaling towards a better tomorrow” project came to life in Burkina Faso and involves the local purchase of bicycles for children and adolescents who attend schools several kilometers away from their homes. This initiative responds to a crucial need, as many young people live in remote and rural areas where public transport is poorly available or completely absent. For some, the journey on foot can take several hours, through rugged terrain and extreme weather conditions, particularly during the rainy season or in periods of intense heat.
The bicycle will be their property until they complete their studies, but in the event of leaving school prematurely, the bike will have to be returned to be assigned to another student. This not only motivates students to continue their studies, but also helps create a sense of responsibility and ownership of the project. The cost of a new bicycle varies between €80 and €100, a high price considering that a decent salary in Burkina Faso does not exceed €300 per month. This makes it clear how difficult it is for local families to guarantee their children the necessary tools to attend school.
BnD will provide all financiers with photographs of the beneficiaries on the bicycles assigned to each and will monitor the actual presence of students at the school through local teachers. This monitoring system is essential to ensure that the support provided actually has a positive impact on student attendance and achievement. The first bicycles were delivered in April 2023 and the next ones are destined for the students of Garage Italia in Ouagadougou. The introduction of bicycles not only reduced travel time, but also improved students’ safety on the way to school, protecting them from the risks associated with long journeys on foot such as road accidents or encounters with wild animals.
The project, in addition to facilitating access to education, also aims to establish a culture of sustainability and ecological mobility among the younger generations. This is particularly relevant in a context such as that of Burkina Faso, where the promotion of environmentally friendly means of transport can play a fundamental role in mitigating the environmental impacts of human activities.
The continued expansion of the project demonstrates its success and the importance of such initiatives in breaking down the barriers to education that many children and adolescents in Burkina Faso face on a daily basis.
