10:30-3:30

On Saturday April 12th, Bikes Not Bombs begins a new partnership by shipping about 500 donated bikes to Tanzania. We start at 10:30 am and work until we finish, which we expect to be around 3:30 pm. Volunteers, come for any part of this time that works for you! We'll take a break around 1pm for a pizza lunch (provided) and a short talk about the project. Experience not required. Check in before bringing a large group of volunteers.

This shipment of donated bikes is going to Tumaini Cycles in Arusha, Tanzania (near Mt Kilimanjaro), which provides vocational training in bicycle maintenance and repair. The training includes employment in the shop, business learning, and help to students in starting their own micro-enterprise bike businesses. Since 2005 Tumaini Cycles has sold about 3,000 bikes and these profits fund the rest of the Tumaini Vocational Training Centre's programs in computers, secretarial skills, and English, French and Spanish language programs. "Tumaini" means "hope" in Swahili, and each year these programs serve about 200 young people orphaned by HIV/AIDS. The Global Alliance for Africa, based in Chicago, created the training center along with Tanzanian partners, and Working Bikes in Chicago has been a major partner in supplying donated bikes.

Bikes Not Bombs' International Coordinator Carl Kurz will be visiting Tumaini Cycles in early June on his way to visiting the BNB bicycle project in Diepsloot South Africa. Thanks to all of you who have donated the bikes, the financial support, and your volunteer time to allow BNB to expand and take on this partnership!

DIRECTIONS: This event does NOT happen at Bikes Not Bombs. We will be loading from a big parking lot at 179 Boylston St., Jamaica Plain, 2 blocks from the StonyBrook T stop on the Orange Line. Coming from the BNB Hub at 284 Amory Street, turn right on Amory (which puts you travelling away from the Green St T stop, towards the StoneyBrook T stop). Turn right on Boylston Street (where the StoneyBrook T stop is on your left) and then turn right into a large parking lot which is part of the Brewery Complex. You'll see our 40 ft. shipping container parked in this lot, just off the street.