World Bicycle Relief launches urgent appeal for bikes for health workers in rural Africa

World Bicycle Relief – who provide bikes as a reliable form of transport to health workers in rural Africa – have launched an urgent appeal for further donations in order to provide more of their Buffalo Bikes to the continent to help in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each Buffalo Bike – built specifically for carrying heavy loads on what is often difficult terrain – costs £108/US$138, while a tool kit to keep it running smoothly costs £36/US$46, although you can give as much or as little as you can afford.

• Donate to World Bicycle Relief

During this time of the coronavirus pandemic, the need for bicycles is greater than ever, and World Bicycle Relief will be hosting a live Q&A about the current situation on Thursday, April 9, at 10am CDT (Central Time, USA/Canada), which you can sign up to be part of here.

"We're prioritising healthcare programming, leveraging our expertise and doing everything we can to help the most vulnerable in this urgent crisis," said World Bicycle Relief CEO Dave Neiswander in a press release this week.

"Our global community is in a race against time to mobilise these frontline health workers and prepare the communities we serve. World Bicycle Relief is working urgently to use our know-how and help our partners as quickly as possible. The faster we scale up, the more people we can help," he said.

"I am responsible for 105 households and 522 people," said Ramadhan Bakari, a caregiver in Kakamega County, Kenya, demonstrating the breadth of coverage, health workers with bicycles can offer. "With a bicycle, we reach the sick people quickly," he said.

Read more about World Bicycle Relief's work here.