“Bikes for Sierra Leone”
Our “Bikes for Sierra Leone” project is intended to help provide mobility for school-going children in Sierra Leone, who would otherwise have to walk for miles in the rain or blazing sun to and from school. Our maiden shipment was in summer of 2006.
With our implementing partners, Defence for Children International Sierra Leone (DCI-SL), these bikes are given out to school-going children based on proven need and distance. DCI-SL signs contracts with beneficiary school principals, who in turn lease the bikes to kids on a yearly basis. The lease is renewable based on need, distance, academic performance and conduct. We are grateful to our donors.
The success of this project was particularly due to the tireless efforts of Cristina Costantini, who got her High School (University School of Milwaukee) staff and students involved in collecting more bikes to send to other children in Sierra Leone. Her father, Mr. Mario Costantini, not only provided free storage and had his staff repair the bikes, but also ensured that the shipment happened in a timely fashion.
The Holton Youth Center YMCA in Milwaukee also contributed bikes, and had their youth involved in the repair work.
Cathy, Matthias,and Cristina
Repair work at Holton
Youth Center.
Loading in progress 
Mario and Matthias 
Cristina, Mario, and Delayzio
Distribution in Sierra Leone
Children in an orphanage using their
small-sized bikes for recreation
Some High school youth who benefited
from the bike distribution.
Some Makeni school teachers with
Bishop George Buguzzi. (center)
Second Shipment to Sierra Leone (October 2007)
Exactly a year after our first shipment of bikes, school supplies, computers, and medical equipment arrived in Sierra Leone, another container is on its way to continue providing hundreds more of school-going kids with mobility. As usual, we ensure that every bicycle is thoroughly checked and safety concerns addressed before loading. Alongside the bicycles are hospital beds and mattresses from SIERRASOTA in Minnesota; wheel chairs and several much-needed medical equipment from Direct Supply in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Again, Mr. Costantini was very instrumental in the coordination of this exercise, and having his staff help with the loading. We also thank Notre Dame High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin for their support; and individual families that helped with school supplies.
Below is the limited number of locally-made, wooden, non-adjustable beds that were originally in the Children’s Ward at Kenema hospital before our January 2008 donation.
Adult wards also benefited from items such as; beds, mattresses, wheel chairs, gurneys, defibrillators, IV poles, PVC chairs, and a number of other surgical equipment.
It is our hope that our Bike Project not only encourages kids to get to school on time, but teaches them a sense of responsibility. As an additional benefit, not only are these bikes used for functionality, they are a means of freedom for the kids who ride them around and play.
