In August 2016, six employees of 99 Bikes visited multiple countries in Africa with our Global Immersion program.
One of the charities we visited on the tour was the Mirror of Hope charity, founded to help people getting out of slums, namely Kibera. The charity operates just outside of Kibera - the largest slum in Africa.
Their work includes getting scholarships for students, helping single parents (many widowed and affected by AIDS) to start their own business. Businesses such as selling fruits and samosas, homemade handcrafts and others to provide for their families.
Seven bikes have been donated to the charity and will be allocated to people in the community who can best use them.
The the leaders of Mirror of Hope were given the bikes and were also taught how to maintain them.
The bikes won't belong to any individual, but they will belong to the community. The bikes will help people travel faster, meaning more time to study for students, and more time to sell products for workers.
These bikes will help improve the everyday lives of people using them for both students studying and higher return on investment for workers.
The group picture shows students sponsored by the Mirror of Hope and while they are still studying they are volunteering at the Mirror of Hope in order to help other people.
The woman with the yellow scarf is Sophie, she is amazing. Now in her early 20's, her parents died when she was just 12 and has been raised by an uncle living in Kibera. Sophie is a single mother of a youngster and passionate about photography.
The children in the second picture are living in Kibera and go to the local school. They could eventually ride some of the bikes.
