MTN sponsors Qhubeka bikes-for-kids project

Mobile service provider MTN has sponsored the Qhubeka initiative. Qhubeka is a non-profit organisation, founded by ICT infrastructure distributor Axiz, that raises funds for the donation of bicycles for children and caregivers in developing communities who have no transport and have to work long distances to school.

Children grow trees in return for the bicycles, and these trees are distributed and planted by project partners such as the Wildlands conservation trust.

As part of the partnership, last weekend, the MTN cycle race team, sporting MTN and Qhubeka colours, participated in stage one of the world-renowned Absa Cape Epic mountain biking race.

This annual race takes place in late March, over eight days. What is interesting about the race is that its route changes every year, leading amateur and professional mountain bikers from around the world through approximately 800km of the unspoilt nature of the Western Cape and up some 16 000m of climbing over some of the most magnificent passes in South Africa.

Kevin Evans, who finished eighth at the recent World Championships, and Austrian partner, Alban Lakata who finished second, will compete for overall glory in the men's category, while Yolande Speedy and Paul Cordes hope to win the mixed category for a second time since 2007. The teams have already won various race stages, but the overall winners will be revealed after the eighth and final stage of the race on Sunday, 28 March.

“The bicycle is the most effective and economical method of quickly and permanently addressing some of the problems relating to lack of mobility in the disadvantaged communities of South Africa. Bicycles play a vital role in advancing sustainable socioeconomic development in both rural and urban communities around the world,” says Anthony Fitzhenry, CEO of Axiz.

What makes the project unique is that the bicycles are not merely handed over to communities - Qhubeka finances about 75% of the cost of the bicycle, while the recipient has to provide or earn the other 25% to give them a better sense of ownership and involvement. Qhubeka's adult projects focus on providing people with micro-finance for bikes, developing community skills in maintaining the bicycles, and providing healthcare.

Meanwhile, Qhubeka's child projects focus on enterprise development, environment and climate control, education and sport. Children earn their bikes by participating in community-based solutions to environmental issues and climate control. For example, children grow trees (tree-preneurs) or remove litter or invader species (green-preneurs) to earn their bikes.

Fitzhenry says not only has the initiative distributed some 40 000 bikes since its launch in 2004, but in the communities it services it has reduced children's school commuting by 75%, reduced the sports infrastructure cost per child by 90%, increased micro-finance loan recipient earnings by 500%, and grown healthcare worker visits to orphans and vulnerable children by 400%.

"The dream for me is to have a child who benefited from the MTN Qhubeka partnership to one day become a professional rider in our team and race in the Absa Cape Epic,” says MTN Qhubeka team manager Doug Ryder at the recent launch of the MTN Qhubeka Partnership. The event provided the opportunity for six of MTN Cycling's top mountain bikers to meet the mechanics who have been building the bicycles that Qhubeka has been providing to schoolchildren who might otherwise have to walk up to an hour to school each day.

“We are really pleased with the support from MTN, which will go a long way to raising awareness about Qhubeka's projects and financing more bicycles, or as we refer to them, 'tools' for the socio-economic development for those in poor communities,” adds Fitzhenry. After all, the initiative takes its name from a Zulu word that means "to progress" or "to move forward".