Five women thank you for your generosity and their new bikes

Yengcamaayi,  Ernestina, Suoribog, Domaneila and Dobal live in Bazzu and Talagona, which are neighboring villages in rural northern Ghana. Thanks to your donation, they all received a bicycle and were taught how to take care of them. The women attended a workshop in Tuggo, which is 10 miles from the major town of Jiriapa. They walked six miles to Jirapa, and then arranged transport to Tuggo to join in the Village Bicycle Project repair workshop for women.

Like other women in their villages, they are farmers. One of the women is also a pito brewer and some others sell bean cakes or “belebele”  which is a popular local snack made from millet flour.  These five women are very active in the local women’s farmers’ group.  Without bicycles they have to walk six miles into Jirapa for these meetings.  The farmers’ group is a very big part of their lives and they told us that they recently won an award for farmers’ group of the year.  Owning bikes will save these women hours every day as they can now ride their bikes to the land they are farming, which is between one to five miles from home, instead of walking hours in the hot sun. They can also use the bikes to transport their produce and purchases instead of carrying them on their head. The women spend less time going between home, market and their farmland and can carry more produce, which helps them increase their income.

Life for rural African women is very demanding, and these women went to great lengths to get their bikes.  Yengcamaayi,  Ernestina, Suoribog, Domaneila and Dobal are very thankful for your donation, Jennifer!  Thanks for your support of the Village Bicycle Project!