more news at
www.heavyliftpfi.comTORQUINGPOINT
Transforming lives... two wheels at a time
The second instalment of our newly launched Torquing Point feature focuses on the work of Transaid, the international development charity that helps to implement local transport solutions to improve access to basic services and economic opportunity for people in Africa and in developing countries. Ian Matheson takes a look at the organisation’s enterprise box scheme.
D
ino was just 16 years old when he won the Tour de Madagascar
2015 – the youngest ever winner. The odds are stacked against any young sportsperson, but in Dino’s case he had been cycling for only two years and winning 900+ km road races on a bicycle with no cleats, a completely worn out saddle, and no water bottle. In rural Madagascar, road
bikes and spare parts are rare. There are a few cycling clubs in the capital Antananarivo or in Antsirabe, but outside the main city the story is very different. This makes Dino’s success
even more remarkable. However, Dino has a lifeline –a cooperative in Bemanonga in the north-western region of Menabe which runs a bicycle and repair shop called an enterprise box (‘eBox’). This means he can now access spare tubes for his road bike, spokes, and a helmet. Dino’s father buys stock from the scheme, joins his son on his training weekends in the mountains, and is thinking of setting up a cycling club to encourage more young people into the sport. Dino’s whole community
has benefited from the eBox scheme, not just in improving rural access through the provision of bicycles, but also regarding their health. Initiated by Transaid, in partnership with other organisations, the eBox is a social micro-enterprise for bicycle sales and repairs that motivates community health volunteers (CHVs). The CHVs
134 Dino with Transaid supplies.
the greatest need. The development organisation currently has a number of programmes across Africa and is focused on improving road safety and access to vital services. Transaid believes that every
driver should be able to leave for a day’s work without the fear he or she may not come home because of a lack of training, or because of dangerous vehicles and roads, and that every family should be able to access emergency healthcare in times of need. This is why it has always been a logical link for the transport and logistics industry to partner and support it.
Opportunities Dino’s story shows just what one person can achieve with tenacity, motivation and a little help. But all across Africa Transaid is providing opportunities for many ordinary people that do not want handouts, they just want the opportunity to improve their futures. Driver trainers are dedicating
play a vital role in delivering health services in Madagascar, but as they are unpaid it is important that they can gain an income.
Employment The bicycle sale and repair shops provide employment, transport, and bicycle maintenance, as well as contributing to wider health projects in local communities. They develop into self-sufficient businesses as profits are reinvested in community health activities and resupplies: the shops give 5-10 percent of their profit to local community health insurance schemes, which help rural families get better access to quality healthcare and products, as well as emergency transport. This is an opportunity for people to build the skills they
January/February 2017
need to transform their own lives – it is not charity, it is a partnership. Partnerships are at the heart
of what Transaid does, transforming lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport in areas where there is
their lives to sharing knowledge, stopping the loss of lives, and helping to transform standards across the whole country. Volunteers elsewhere are cycling through the night to transfer pregnant women to health facilities. There is no better time for the industry to keep up their momentum by joining Transaid in making a tangible, sustainable difference.
HLPFI How you can help...
In the case of the eBox scheme, quality bicycles and spare parts have come from the UK, the USA and New Zealand, as part of a collaboration with partners such as the Bicycling Empowerment Network Namibia (BEN Namibia) and Bikes for the World in the USA. The eBox was established as part of the wider USAID-financed health programme, known locally as MAHEFA (Malagasy Heniky ny Fahasakamana) between 2011 and 2016. JSI Research & Training Institute leads the programme, with support from partners Transaid and The Manoff Group. There are a number of ways you can get involved with Transaid’s mission to
transform transport. Transaid needs training vehicles, international shipping of the vehicles, and financial support from corporate members. Individuals from across the industry can become ambassadors, donate, or take part in fundraising challenges. Please visit
Transaid.org, or contact Jade Ashby at
jade@transaid.org for
more information.
www.heavyliftpfi.com
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