Tsgabu Grmay, Louis Mentjes and Jani Tewelde(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
The women did a thank-you dance for the team(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Trek's Scott Daubert was on hand to help(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
The German contingent poses on the backs of Qhubeka bikes(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Sergio Pardilla and Louis Mentjes help to organize(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Martin Reimer helps to unload(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
This is only a fraction of the 170 Qhubeka bikes that were delivered that day(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Meron Russom and Jani Tewelde take in the scene(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
The riders get comfortable on the trip to Vosloorus(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Qhubeka founder Anthony Fitzhenry prepares the riders for their delivery(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Songezo Jim(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Italian Kristian Sbaragli(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Johann Van Zyl(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
BMXer Sifiso Nhlapo(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Bicycles bring joy at any age(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Youcef Ruiguigui and Ferekalsi Debesay(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
A proud owner of a Qhubeka bike(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
One of the items Qhubeka helps to provide are portable desks for children(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
The South Africans on the team(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Team principal Doug Ryder chats with Scott Daubert of Trek and Martin Reimer(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
One of the "tree-preneurs" who earned bikes(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Martin Reimer(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
The team is informed what the Qhubeka bikes mean to the people(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Songezo Jim and Andreas Stauff(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Sifiso Nhlapo helped to move the bikes out(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Dennis Van Niekerk brought his lunch(Image credit: Laura Weislo)
Christmas came early to the Somalia Park informal settlement in Vosloorus, South Africa, when the newly minted Professional Continental Team MTN-Qhubeka arrived with 170 Qhubeka bicycles, earned by residents as part of a program which trades the sturdy World Bicycle Relief-designed machines for work.
All 21 of the riders on the squad, including Giro d'Italia stage winner Ignatas Konovalovas, Germans Martin Reimer, Gerald Ciolek and Andreas Stauff, Spaniard Sergio Pardilla and Italian Kristian Sbaragli were on hand for the delivery. The team was joined by Olympic BMX racer Sifiso Nhlapo.
Qhubeka founder Anthony Fitzhenry partnered with World Bicycle Relief to bring the program to South Africa, and since 2004 it has delivered almost 40,000 bikes, with an aim at an overall total of 1 million.
The 20kg steel bikes include racks that can hold up to 100kg, so they're not only a means of transportation to get to school, shops or work, they can help empower people to start small businesses. One 11-year-old girl, Katleho, has earned six Qhubeka bikes by planting tree seedlings, which she rents out for 20 Rand for two hours, earning extra cash for her household. The trees are then delivered to the Wildlands Conservation Trust, which helps to reforest areas with native species.
Others earn bicycles by collecting recyclables in the communities which have no basic city services such as garbage collection.
The bikes save children many hours per week getting to school and back, a trip which by foot can take an hour or more but with two wheels takes only 15 minutes. This leaves more time for study and play. Other bikes are used to deliver goods such as bread or produce to sell, or bring in materials for housing.
Team MTN-Qhubeka will be supporting the program throughout its 2013 season, donating proceeds from sales of its team kit and a portion of its prize money, as will sponsors MTN and Samsung.
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Laura Weislo is a Cyclingnews veteran of 20 years. Having joined in 2006, Laura extensively covered the Operacion Puerto doping scandal, the years-long conflict between the UCI and the Tour de France organisers ASO over the creation of the WorldTour, and the downfall of Lance Armstrong and his lifetime ban for doping. As Managing Editor, Laura coordinates coverage for North American events and global news.
