How it Works: • Catalyst High School will select 3 to 4 students to be responsible for collecting $2,000 dollars through Global Giving by 4/30/2011 • B4H will match the dollars raised by Catalyst dollar for dollar up to $2,000 dollar by 4/30/2011 using its existing donor base • Catalyst will collect 400 bikes by 8/1/2011 • 400 Bicycles will be loaded in a shipping container with tools
Namibia suffers from one of the worst HIV/AIDs rates in the world, at about 40%. In addition, poverty, unemployment, frequent droughts and floods all serve to further hurt the Namibians. Their relative isolation makes it extremely difficult to transport medical supplies, hold steady employment or even attend school. All of these factors combine to make life very difficult for Namibians and further increase their plight.
A bicycle, one of the simplest transport technologies, is affordable and can be maintained anywhere in the world with minimal tools and spare parts. Yet for the world's poorest people, living on $1 per day, even bicycles are beyond their reach. Meanwhile, in the western world we discard thousands of bicycles each year. The math becomes simple and in the hands of a healthcare worker, they can cover four times the ground than otherwise on foot.
Having so many bikes in the community will affect it for years to come. Having proper transport will enable the community to grow into a place that offers suitable medical care to a citizenry that is educated, employed and more mobile. Addtionally it creates a sustainable community employment and a business model for growth.
