Changing lives one bike at a time!

Wheels to Africa is a nonprofit organization whose principal purpose is to work with local youth, ages 10-18, to organize local bike collections and send the donated bikes to communities in Africa.  The bikes are used to provide basic transportation for people to reach school, food, water and medical care.

 

A secondary principal purpose is to serve as a cultural and educational forum children and youth -- to educate them on how their quality of life compares with the poorest world communities.  Wheels to Africa strives to seed a movement of community and volunteerism, and to perpetuate a "pass it on" commitment to help those who are less fortunate. 

 

Join Wheels to Africa for its 5th Annual Bike Collection and be a part of history.

Hello.  I am Winston Duncan,  the founder of Wheels to Africa. I would just like to write a little bit about how much people in Africa need help.

 

When I went to Africa I felt like I went 50 years into the past because of all the trash, pollution and overall lack of the necessities of life.  In reality though, it was only a 16 hour plane ride. One example was when I went to the local market in Zimbabwe to buy some of the local woodwork which is world renowned.  I went to the market wearing a t shirt and a vest, carrying a backpack.  I came back with only a vest and shoes, and no socks. What I had done was trade my clothes for this valuable woodwork.  In particular I got a chest board that in America would have sold for at least 50 dollars.  I gave up two t-shirts and a pair of headphones that were given to me free on the plane. 

 

I am trying to say that the people in Africa need everything they can get.  But they have so much to give back in return.  It is not right that they have so little and it seems that we have more than we need.  So, what I want to say with this story is that Africans need your help.  If we can give up some of the extra we have in our lives, we will see that we get back a lot more than what we gave up. 

 

Thank you for reaching out to help.  Please let us know what you can give, and how you can help.  Africans need everything we can get.  See you on December 5th!


                         Winston
 
Founder Winston Duncan during the 2008 collection drive.
Winston Duncan was 10 years old when he decided he wanted to help people less fortunate than himself.  He had just returned from a family vacation where he was struck by the distances the people " young and old " had to walk to find food, water and medical care. How could he help? His answer was to collect and send bikes to Africa because everyone has an old bike. In Africa, a bike is a lifeline to survival for many people. So Winston began to organize his friends, family, and his community to donate bikes. The response was overwhelming and inspiring.
 
Since 2005, Wheels to Africa has collected over 2000 bikes! Wheels to Africa brought together 104 volunteers to collect over 1000 bikes in one day in 2008! Winston wants to replicate this success across the United States.