Residents in Park City, Utah, are being encouraged to donate used bicycles as part of a community drive aimed at helping people in Sierra Leone and Ghana.
The initiative is led by the Village Bicycle Project, a nonprofit organisation that collects old bikes and sends them to communities in West Africa. The goal is to improve access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities.
Organisers say many people in rural areas of Sierra Leone and Ghana walk long distances daily, sometimes up to two hours, to reach school, farms, or health centres. With bicycles, travel time can be reduced significantly, allowing children to attend school more regularly and workers to become more productive.
The donated bikes are not only used by individuals but are often shared among families and communities. A single bicycle can benefit several people in a day, making it a valuable tool for everyday life.
Each year, the organisation ships about 20 containers filled with hundreds of bicycles to West Africa. The bikes are repaired, distributed, and supported with training programmes to help local people maintain them and even start small repair businesses.
The drive also accepts spare parts, helmets, and cycling gear. Older mountain bikes and hybrid bikes are especially useful because they can handle rough rural roads.
Organisers say the programme goes beyond transport. It helps reduce poverty, supports education, and creates opportunities for young people and families across Sierra Leone and Ghana.
