Bike for Aids
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| University of Western Ontario Bikeathon |
Bicycles and Bicycle-Ambulances in Malawi
In Sub-Saharan Africa, 80% of the population lives in rural areas where roads are little more than footpaths and bicycles are the primary mode of transportation. In rural Malawi, community-based volunteers trained as HIV and AIDS educators, caregivers and advocates travel to neighboring communities and homes to care for those affected by the virus. Their ability to serve people is limited by their lack of transportation. By using a bicycle, a health care worker can see up to 5 times as many patients. It is with this in mind that Uniterra partnered with CAP AIDS to develop Bike 4 AIDS for Malawi.
If a person living with HIV and AIDS needs medical attention and is unable to walk, getting to the clinic can be very difficult. Bicycle-ambulances provide a much safer alternative to wheelbarrows; a commonly used mode of transportation for hospital-bound patients. By attaching a lightweight trailer and removable stretcher to the back of a bicycle, bed-ridden or injured people can be transported to clinics without risking further injury along the way.
Sustainable Bikes
Through Uniterra, WUSC Malawi partners with Community Based Organizations to increase access to HIV and AIDS treatment by providing volunteer support workers with bicycles and bicycle ambulances. But creating a sustainable bike aid program involves so much more than simply delivering bicycles! Like CAP AIDS, our partner in this project, all bicycles are purchased new from local businesses in Malawi. By buying locally, we supports local economic growth and ensure that bikes can be fixed at nearby shops should they need repair. Second, we always work with local grassroots partner organizations such as Malawi Network of AIDS Service organisations (MANASO). This approach utilizes local knowledge on the best methods of distributing and maintaining the bikes, which ensures sustainable results and maximizes benefits for people in need. Results to date
To date, Local Committees and Cap AIDS have financed the distribution of many bicycles since the project started in September 2005:
• 164 bicycle-ambulances purchased and distributed to community organizations.
• 210 bicycles purchased and distributed.
• 78 Community Based Organizations putting these bicycles to use
• And more funds have been sent to Malawi to purchase even more bikes!
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| Grant MacEwan College's Wax for AIDS |
A $200 donation will buy a bicycle and $380 will provide a bicycle-ambulance, including costs for shipping and maintenance. These amounts include the cost of delivering the bicycles and bicycle-ambulances and contributing to CAP AIDS.
• Organize days of action around World Car Free Day (September 22, 2009) or World AIDS Day (December 1, 2009)
• Participate in the “HIV and AIDS in Rural Malawi” online discussion scheduled for September 28th.
• Plan a Bike-A-Thon, Wax for AIDS or other related event.
• Invite WUSC alumni (ie. past Uniterra volunteers) to present on HIV and AIDS in Africa.
Want to participate?
Check out the Bike for AIDS resources and get in touch with your regional liaison officer! Sign your committee up for the campaign on your My Committee account.
Donate or run a campaign on-line
This easy to use tool lets you fundraise online.
Bike for AIDS was developed in partnership with CAP AIDS, an organization whose mandate is to develop partnerships between Canadian and African non-governmental organizations and AIDS service organizations to help Africans resist, survive and overcome the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Five percent of the funds raised by the project go to support CAP AIDS in its Bike to CAP AIDS initiative.