BikeTown Africa, an international project which provides bicycles to healthcare workers to assist them in traveling to their suffering patients in Africa, is visiting South Africa.

Launched in 2006 the project started as a partnership between Bicycling Magazine, Rodale Press, Bristol Myers Squibb and Kona Bicycle Company. 1000 bicycles have been pledged for donation to health care workers across Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa, between now and December 2008.

On the 5th November 2008 MaAfrika Tikkun Cape Town had 108 bicycles assembled and donated to their Health Care Project in Mfuleni and Delft. The beneficiaries of the bicycles are the MaAfrika Tikkun healthcare workers who currently operate in these areas. These care givers will benefit greatly by being able to visit more patients on a daily basis, as previously these workers had to walk or rely on often unreliable transport systems. It will allow them to help many more ailing community members, who often do not have help from family and friends and have to rely on the aid of these under-resourced workers – therefore enhancing MaAfrika Tikkun’s service delivery!

The bicycles were assembled on the 4 November 2008 by MaAfrika Tikkun employees, their donors, Bicycling magazine and the rest of the Biketown team. The official handover took place on 5 November at the Nelson Mandela Peace Park in Delft. MaAfrika Tikkun healthcare workers received instruction and training on riding and taking care of their bicycles.
For some of the healthcarers it was their first time on a bicycle and there were many smiling faces some in awe of their new “wheels” and some very apprehensive!

Amanda Zar, Development and Marketing Manager of MaAfrika Tikkun comments, “I read about the Biketown Africa initiative a few months ago and felt that it was imperative that MaAfrika Tikkun be part of this exciting project. Aside from assisting in making the healthcare workers’ jobs easier, it gives our workers an opportunity to learn a new skill that will be life-changing and life-saving in African communities.”

Mechanics learning how to take care of the bicycles	Healthcarer excited to get going!
Gilbert doing a quality check on the bicycles.	Group shot of bicycles
Healthcares getting ready to go!
Cyclists leaving the Nelson Mandela Peace Park on their first ride
Group shot of bicycles

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