Bicycles that transform lives

[caption id="attachment_35424" align="alignright" width="405"] CYCLE OF GIVING: R1-m from MTN helps BEEP donate 500 bicycles to pupils[/caption]

PUPILS at two Eastern Cape schools who had to walk for hours to get to school are now cycling to school, thanks to the Bicycle Education Empowerment Programme (BEEP) which aims to ensure they get to school safely and on time.

Last week BEEP, through a generous R1-million cash injection from cellphone giant MTN SA's foundation, made sure that pupils at Kama and Siseko high schools, both near Alice, were able to quickly get to and from school safely.

With the hefty donation, BEEP was able to provide 500 bicycles, with the last of two batches delivered last week.

With 12 million of South Africa's 16 million pupils walking more than two hours to get to school, BEEP – which is a joint initiative by World Bicycle Relief's Qhubeka programme and World Vision South Africa – aims to cut that time by 75%.

The programme seeks to ensure pupils and teachers go to school regularly, while improving pupils' academic performance as BEEP found that pupils who cycled to school performed better. MTN staff members attended the hand-over event, helping to distribute the bicycles to pupils.

Project manager at the MTN SA Foundation Judith Maluleka said: "It means that they are more likely to arrive on time to receive a nutritious breakfast, provided through a feeding scheme at schools. And because they arrive less tired, they can also concentrate better in class."

She said the initiative also created work opportunities within the community.

"For every 500 bicycles provided to pupils and teachers, three bicycle mechanics are trained within the community," she said. - Chanice Koopman