16 May 2012
In the last couple of months the winning design of the African Bicycle Design Contest has been produced by the bicycle workshop in Kisumu, Kenya. Two different variants have been made. At this moment 40 users take part in a user survey in order to get a view on experiences with the trailers. Among others water vendors, street traders and fishermen use the trailers in their daily routine. Based on the experiences the design, price and marketing will be changed. For more information about the trailors click here for the flat trailer and click here for the Kipepeo trailer.
16 May 2012
A ranger of National Park ‘De Hoge Veluwe’ in the Netherlands will make a documentary about the "white bicycles" in Africa. He recently visited Kenya to explore this idea and to picture the cyclists. In partnership with KLM, CooP-Africa reuses the white bicycles of the National Park ‘De Hoge Veluwe’ in Kenya. This is a special programma, as CooP-Africa is basically not in favor of shipment of used bikes, because of the many disadvantages. This is a pilot project in which CooP-Africa researches whether it is possible to reuse used bikes in a sustainable way in Africa. In this pilot we work with bicycles of a standard size and type. Local employment is created as the bikes are being refurbished and adapted in the bicycle workshop in Kisumu. The workshop has adequate spare parts in stock. The bikes are used by groups, like health workers, who have a link with the bicycle workshop in Kisumu. This to prevent that the bicycles will be put aside in case of a defect. The documentary is currently being edited. For more information about the health workers who use these bikes click here.
11 May 2012
Yesterday evening CooP-Africa organised, together with students of the Stedelijk Gymnasium Nijmegen, a very successful Friends of Coop Africa Event. After looking back to 5 years of CooP Africa, Cycling out of Poverty, we focused on the new logo and communication materials. The students had made a CooP-Africa movie and online game. The participants could win prices during the quiz, auction and raffle. In the end the students of SGN offered CooP-Africa a cheque with the amount of € 465.45. Participants and students of the SGN: Thank you!
