Category Archives: Guatemala

Guatemala

Guatemala Intro, Fall 2025

Fall 2025 Newsletter

The Spring 2025 Newsletter has lots of information from our good friends in Guatemala about the work they’ve been doing all around the country with used bikes and sewing machines. We recently celebrated 25 years of working with FIDESMA — we’ve shipped them more than 13,000 bicycles since 2000. Here’s the report from Guatemala on their adventures with the arrival this summer of the 26th container and their other activities.

Ecolobici shop entranceThanks to your support, we have been able to continue to supply this organization with annual shipments of bicycles and sewing machines. With their new Chimaltenango warehouse and shop, the group’s expansion has put them on track to receive two containers per year to maintain their operations, assuming our production levels can meet demands.

Guatemala Christmas ParadeWith a 27th shipment already being planned for early December, we are very happy to give yet another update on our longest running program while we prepare. With the increased focus on instability in the countries in the southern half of our hemisphere, I find it incredibly important to keep talking about the programs we support there.

With increased focus on drugs coming across the border from countries all over the global south, our friends in Guatemala and Belize are directly at risk as a forgotten middleman. The men and women we support in these countries feel increased threats as their countries act as a passageway for the flow of drugs to our country.

Putting any one solution aside, Pedals for Progress hopes to help by continuing to lend a helping hand to our neighbors to the south. While it may not seem as direct as what we see in the media, a bike or sewing machine sent to the global south is a helping hand to someone in need. Aiding our friends to help build their countries up, not down, is a way in which we can help make all our homes stronger and safer.

GUys on Bikes, Guatemala 2025While the solutions are endless, this is how we can help with our bikes and sewing machines. I’d like to thank you for supporting our neighbors in Central America. You will see that it does not come without challenges, unexpected delays and financial constraints but nevertheless, we hope to continue to serve them in any capacity we can. It may be a small drop in a big bucket, but the ripples it creates are lasting.

Albania, Belize, Guatemala, Kosovo

Short Updates, Fall 2025

Our full bicycle shipping results for Fall 2025

Albania

Absolute Bikes Tirana – Tirana, Albania
Founded by former members of Ecovolis, this community driven shop promotes cycling, environmentalism, tourism, and philanthropy.
436 Bikes and 30 Sewing Machines
435 bikes and 40 sewing machines

Belize

God Cares Outreach (P4P-Belize) – Belize City, Belize
Supports people from diverse backgrounds, cultures, and denominations, united in spreading hope, faith, love and now, bicycles and sewing machines, to the people of Belize.
440 bicycles and 30 sewing machines
465 bikes and 60 sewing machines

Kosovo

GoBike – Kosovo, Pristina
A community-focused bike shop serving people in Europe’s young and growing nation of Kosovo.
436 bikes

Guatemala

FIDESMA – Chimaltenango, Guatemala:
The Foundation for Sustainable Development and the Environment provides community aid through various support programs and their ECOBICI bike shop.
460 bikes and 25 sewing machines
431 bikes and 30 sewing machines

Thank you for helping us support affordable cycling around the globe.

Guatemala

Report from Guatemala, Fall 2025

Fall 2025 Newsletter

Clearing the Container Through Customs

FIDESMA‘s 26th container arrived August 9, 2025. As always, with the support of our authorized customs agent, we made all the necessary tax payments to authorize the release of the container. The only inconvenience this time was that the container was flagged “Red,” which caused many delays. Several days went by without clearance, and the problem was that they unloaded everything, then reloaded it, and now they don’t know how to properly arrange the bicycles inside. Then, for anything they don’t like, they want to impose a fine, which increases the payments and greatly affects the final import costs.

Guatemala FIDESMA Ecolobici logoDespite the problems at customs, we managed to get the container released as quickly as possible, and after many unplanned days, it was finally transported to Chimaltenango. Costs have risen compared to five years ago. Even so, we continue moving forward and doing our best to ensure that the bicycles are available in the ECOLOBICI (Spanish facebook) Chimaltenango shop.

This is not the first time we’ve had problems clearing customs

Receiving the Bicycles at our Chimaltenango Location

Guatemalan volunteers unloadingOnce the container arrives at the Chimaltenango warehouse, we unload it with the support of a group of friends and volunteers who also love bicycles and understand their social and environmental benefits. They are young people who come to help us unload the bicycles whenever we call them.

Usually, we are more than 15 people helping on unloading day. This time, the container arrived at 2am in the morning — even so, we were there to store the bicycles in our facility.

Guatemala volunteer unloadingWe finished unloading at dawn, as the sun was rising. We were tired but satisfied, knowing that all the effort had been worthwhile and that we could move on to the next phase — inventory, pricing, and special deliveries to people in need, sports enthusiasts, and workers who want a bicycle.

Bicycle Sales

Ecolobici shop entranceIn the sales phase, we prepare and organize the bicycles by type and quality to make pricing easier, offering promotions depending on the population being served.

Guatemalan girl recipient

We look for children who need a bicycle, young people who don’t have one and would like one, and we encourage them to use bicycles for sports, training, helping with household transport, or commuting to work. We also reach out to older adults who work far from home and need transportation. We always strive to offer the lowest possible price so they can take a bicycle home.

Guatemalan recipientAdditionally, when selling bicycles, we aim to distribute them in many different communities and towns to avoid discrimination about who receives one and who doesn’t. We try to deliver bicycles to all kinds of people — men, women, children, youth, and even some elderly individuals.

Activities for Bicycle Donations

Ecolobici shop entrance with bikesDuring the first 10 months, we planned to donate more than five bicycles in various communities in Chimaltenango and beyond. We primarily focus on finding children among those in need to give them a bicycle. We can see that each recipient is very happy to receive their bike.

The photos show how everyone takes their bicycle home to use it on their streets and in their daily lives.

Social Activities Funded by Sales

Guatemala Christmas paradeIn addition to bicycle sales — which benefit both adults and children, and the annual bicycle donations — we also provide support to community groups in need. Each year, we identify communities and groups that require assistance due to poverty, illness, lack of local education, child malnutrition, or the needs of women artisans.

Guatemalan reseller, bulk purchaseEvery year, we look for where and how to offer help within our means. Sometimes, we complement aid from other institutions through coordination and partnerships so that together we can better assist communities facing social challenges.

We are very grateful, on behalf of the ECOLOBICI–FIDESMA project, for this shipment of bicycles, which is number 26–2025. We are certain that the people — children, youth, and adults — will be very thankful when we deliver these bicycles to their communities and towns, where they can use them for work, sports, exercise, travel, and transportation to distant places. Everyone agrees that using a bicycle is a great benefit.Guatemala shoppers

We will continue to share updates on our promotional activities, sales, donations, fundraising, and social initiatives throughout the rest of this year.

Many thanks to David, to Alan, and to all the colleagues who support you in the United States.

Sincerely,

Arnulfo Catu and The FIDESMA Team

Fidesma staff and Alan
Analy, Pedro, Alan, Margarita, Alfuno
bicycles, Guatemala, Sewing Partners

Report from Guatemala, Spring 2025

Spring 2025 Newsletter

Fidesma staff and Alan For the last 25 years, Pedals for Progress has made annual shipments of bikes and sewing machines to FIDESMA, a community outreach program located just outside Chimaltenango, Guatemala. FIDESMA serves its community of San Andrés Itzapa through various programs focused on food security, educational support, and women’s empowerment in business.

full view of fidesma shopUsing their EcoBici program, they extend their community impact through the distribution and sale of our donated bicycles. FIDESMA and its EcoBici bike shop have sustained themselves for 25 years and serve as a textbook example of what Pedals for Progress aims to achieve. By selling some of their bikes at low cost, our partners help generate revenue to maintain their operations and fund their community outreach.

Working people who buy these bicycles have a vested interest in maintaining them. This not only promotes long-term use, but also feeds back into the success of the shop, which hires more people and helps develop specialized labor. The economic success of this small enterprise is how we’ve been able to contribute to the local economy of Chimaltenango while supporting FIDESMA’s broader mission.

FIDESMA’s current inventory includes many bikes we shipped back in October. The range of bicycles we collect in the U.S. ends up being a major selling point once they reach our international partners. From vintage Schwinns from the ’70s and ’80s to modern Trek mountain bikes, the variety helps shops like EcoBici serve a diverse customer base. This range is on full display at EcoBici, where bikes are organized by price category: older Schwinns ranging from $30–$50, mid-level Mongooses and Treks priced between $50–$100+, and even a top-shelf Specialized model tagged at $800. It’s a great example of a healthy storefront offering a fair, tiered marketplace.

FIDESMA bike shop workersThis all ties back to the “theory” behind Pedals for Progress. We want our partners to succeed and earn a living through our donated bicycles. We are extending the life and value of products that hold real significance in smaller marketplaces like San Andrés Itzapa. Fanning the flame of a blossoming economy is how we can accelerate progress and stretch the impact of bicycles once headed for a landfill. We’re proud to stand beside partners like FIDESMA who take our mission to heart. Here’s to 25 years of impact—and many more to come.

Women’s Group and Bike Donation

The auxiliary programs we support in the developing world are often funded through the sale of bicycles we ship. In many places here in the United States, other charities that collect used bicycles will sell a large portion domestically to help offset their operating costs. At Pedals for Progress, we pass that same opportunity on to our partners overseas. We want our partners to benefit from the sale of bikes in their local markets, using that income to fund community outreach and development work where it’s needed most. As a result, we’re proud to say that P4P donates 100% of the new and repairable bikes we collect.

For lack of a better term, a kind of “trickle-down” economy begins to take shape. While our partner bike shops generate revenue, they are also running a local business and using their extra funds to support their communities. FIDESMA in Guatemala continues to be an incredible example: several of their offshoot programs provide aid through feeding programs, bicycle donations, and support for indigenous women.

During my visit to FIDESMA, I spoke with some of the main people behind their work. It’s mostly a family-run operation, and they welcomed us like family. Pedro, the son of Margarita, FIDESMA’s founder, said very simply, “In San Andrés Itzapa, FIDESMA is famous for helping.” They’re the place people turn to when they’re in need.

Alan and Pedro with truck of bikesThat sentiment rang especially true when we learned that the town had begun building a new public park and asked FIDESMA for bicycles for children to use inside the park. FIDESMA gladly donated 15 children’s bikes at no cost. We were fortunate enough to be there in person when the town came to pick them up. After years of loading bicycles onto trucks in the U.S., I had the incredible honor to help load on the receiving end.

A few days later, we were invited to a ceremony at the new park to celebrate FIDESMA’s contributions to the town. The event also honored the indigenous women’s group that FIDESMA supports. Through this initiative, women create and sell handwoven tapestries and traditional clothing using long-established Mayan techniques. Margarita, an artist herself who makes jewelry, helps these rural women bring their handmade goods to larger markets, increasing both their reach and their profits.

mayan artisansThese women also benefit directly from the sewing machines we ship alongside our bicycles. While they continue using traditional techniques, the machines supplement their work, allowing them to expand production and grow their income.

Alan donating bikeAt the ceremony, we also had the privilege of donating a bicycle to a local farmer who had been struggling to make ends meet. Identified by FIDESMA for his strong work ethic and long walks to work each day, he was selected to receive a donated bike. Having the opportunity to see him accept the gift and ride away was a deeply moving reminder of why we do what we do.

Stories like these remind us that a bicycle or sewing machine can be an important tool for a pathway to opportunity. With each shipment, we’re not just delivering aid; we’re supporting organizations like FIDESMA that are deeply rooted in their communities and building better lives. Thank you for your continued support.

bicycles, Guatemala

Cycling Reaches Critical Mass in Guatemala

Spring 2025 Newsletter

The cycling culture in Guatemala is on the rise, moving beyond simple utility and evolving into a lifestyle of leisure and fun. Cycling groups, the growing popularity of mountain biking, and an increasing interest in vintage bicycles—trends we’ve long seen in the United States—are now taking root and gaining momentum in Guatemala. Riding that wave for more than 20 years, Masa Crítica Guatemala has been at the forefront of the country’s cycling movement.

During our recent visit to our partner program FIDESMA, Pedals for Progress had the opportunity to join a group ride organized by Masa Crítica. FIDESMA and Masa Crítica have worked closely together, co-sponsoring group rides, cycling expos, and other events throughout Guatemala City. FIDESMA has supported the group through bicycle repair services, rentals, and sales, all of which help advance Masa Crítica’s mission of expanding the cycling community across the city and country.

Critical Mass bike group, Guatemala 2025Masa Crítica has become a strong voice for cyclists in Guatemala City. “Critical Mass” group rides first started in the 1990s and have popped up worldwide ever since. In Guatemala City, the movement began in 2005, and its timing couldn’t have been better. In a city where crime rates are among the highest in the country, strength in numbers offers a safer way to ride. One participant told us they had once been held at gunpoint while cycling alone, but now feels much safer riding with a large group.

Alan and guy in costume on bikes, Guatemala 2025Beyond safety, these group rides are simply fun. Riders of all ages and backgrounds show up to enjoy the ride. Themed rides are especially popular. On the day we joined, the group was decked out in Hawaiian shirts and vintage bikes, celebrating an upcoming vintage bike expo. Riders proudly showcased classic bicycles, many restored and modified by the talented Julián Méndez (in Spanish). The passion for cycling was unmistakable.

Traffic conditions in Guatemala City are also notoriously intense. Drivers often engage in a dog-eat-dog mentality, and traffic laws are merely a suggestion. But again, safety in numbers prevails. Group rides can stop traffic at intersections, giving cyclists safe passage where they’d otherwise be vulnerable. Guides equipped with high-visibility vests and whistles help the group stay organized and secure as they navigate the streets.

Seeing progress in the U.S., like new bicycle-passing law in New Jersey, is a promising reminder that similar protections can take hold in Guatemala. Cycling is becoming more popular, and we’re excited to help keep it growing around the world.

bicycles, Guatemala

Rolando: Reseller of P4P Bikes in Guatemala

Spring 2025 Newsletter

This is Rolando, a shop owner and bike mechanic at Dbicis Taller S.J. (Bike Workshop San José). He has been running his small business for 16 years, serving his rural community with bicycle sales and repairs.

Located deep in Guatemala, San José Poaquil sits over an hour from the Ecobici bike shop in Chimaltenango, accessible only by tough, winding mountain roads. For the last two years, Rolando has been purchasing bicycles from Ecobici thanks to his longtime friendship with Alfuno, co-founder of FIDESMA. Through this relationship, he has been able to acquire higher-quality used bicycles from the United States—bikes that outperform the imported Chinese models he previously relied on.

The decision to source from FIDESMA has helped Rolando bolster his inventory and offer his customers more durable, reliable bicycles. American brand bikes—especially used Trek models—are highly preferred and can sell for around $200 USD, compared to roughly $100 USD for a new, off-brand Chinese bike. That price difference reflects a big gap in quality. The used bikes from the U.S. far exceed their lower-end counterparts in performance and longevity.

Rolando makes use of every square foot in his compact 15×8-foot shop. Tools and spare parts cover his workbench, while bikes and wheels hang from the walls and fill every corner. It’s a modest space, but it allows him to earn a living doing something he’s passionate about—fixing bikes and serving his neighbors.

For years, Rolando worked alongside his son, who helped run the shop before leaving two years ago to pursue construction work in the United States. Clearly, mechanical talent runs in the family. Rolando continues to make incredible use of limited tools and supplies. Several bikes were hanging from the walls, drying after being freshly spray-painted. He even uses an angle grinder to modify larger bicycle frames to better fit the smaller stature of the local population.

Despite his skill and resourcefulness, Rolando faces challenges when it comes to repairing newer, high-end bikes. While Trek remains the most popular brand, some newer models are beyond his current expertise. He occasionally relies on help from a fellow mechanic in Chimaltenango, but the hour-long drive makes it hard to keep up with demand.

Eager to improve, Rolando hopes to expand his knowledge so he can better service these newer models. Entirely self-taught, he has learned through trial and error and dreams of starting bike repair lessons for others in his community. He recognizes the growing interest in cycling throughout Guatemala and wants to help others keep up with the rising demand.

Pedals for Progress is proud to support small bike shops like Dbicis Taller S.J. Rolando is just one example of how our work helps foster economic development, entrepreneurship, and access to mobility in the developing world. Every bike sold in Rolando’s shop goes into the hands of a hard-working person in rural Guatemala. His story is a great example of the kind of sustainable progress we aim to support—one bike, and one mechanic, at a time.

Guatemala

Hola de Fidesma

From: Fundacion Fidesma
Date: November 27, 2024 at 4:49:37 PM EST

Muchos saludos departe los compañeros de Fidesma.

Ya realizamos la revision de bicicletas y su inventario, y estamos agradecidos por mandarnos las Maquinas de cocer. Gracias por las pelotas, por las llaves, por otros accesorios o repuestos, mas los plwod. que siempre lo necesitamos.

Todo esta muy bien, las Bicicletas estam bonitas, y estamos iniciando las primeras ventas y entregas de bicicletas.

Espermos enviarle mas fotos y las historias de como se utillizan aqui las bicis.

Atentamente,
Margarita Caté de Catú and the entire FIDESMA ECOLOBICI team
Chimaltenango, Guatemala

bicycles, Guatemala

Ya recibimos las bicis en Fidesma

From: Fundacion Fidesma
Subject: Ya recibimos las bicis en Fidesma
Date: November 22, 2024 at 2:24:13 PM EST
To: David Schweidenback

Hola, Don David, le informamos que ya tenemos las bicicletas en Fidesma, despues de un largo tramite, en la Aduana Guatemala.

Siempre es una experiencia, diferente, cada vez que las recibimos.

De todo tipo de problemas nos presenta el Puerto en Guatemala, dicen que ya no pueden acelerar tramites porque hay mucho BArcos, y muchos contenedores, tambien que nos toco pagar almacenaje porque nos pasamos de los dias permitidos, en el puerto, pagamos mas dinero, y luego que habia dias de asueto en Guatemala, tambien que los dias sabados y domingos no hacen tramites, y asi muchos problemas nos dan ellos.

Muchas gracias David, por las bicis, estan muy bonitas, y gracias por las Maqinas de cocer. Enviaremos fotos de lo que se a hecho aqui,

Atentamente
Margarita CAte
y todo el equipo de compañeros de Fidesma ECOLOBICI.
Chimaltenango, Guatemala.

bicycles, Guatemala

Notes from Guatemala, November 2024

FIDESMA, November 22, 2024

From: Fundacion Fidesma
Date: November 22, 2024

We’ve finally received the bicycles at Fidesma, after a long process at Guatemalan Customs. Every container is a different adventure.

The port in Guatemala always gives us all sorts of problems. They say they can’t expedite the paperwork because there are too many ships and containers. We also had to pay extra storage fees because we exceeded the allowed days at the port. Then there were holidays in Guatemala, and they don’t process paperwork on Saturdays and Sundays, and so on. They give us many problems.

Thank you very much for the bikes. They are very beautiful, and thank you for the sewing machines as well.

Sincerely,
Margarita Caté de Catú and the entire FIDESMA ECOLOBICI team
Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Translated from the Spanish original

Unloading Guatemala container #25, November 2024

FIDESMA, November 27, 2024

From: Fundacion Fidesma
Date: November 27, 2024

Best regards from the FIDESMA team.

We’ve finished checking the bikes and doing the inventory. And thanks so much for sending the sewing machines. We really appreciate the soccer balls, bike tools, spare parts, and especially the plywood — it’s always handy.

Everything looks great. The bikes are beautiful, and we’ve already started selling and delivering them.

We’ll be sure to send you more pictures and tell you all about how the bikes are being used here.

Sincerely,
Margarita Caté de Catú and the entire FIDESMA ECOLOBICI team
Chimaltenango, Guatemala

Translated from the Spanish original

 

bicycles, Guatemala

Report from Guatemala, Spring 2023: FIDESMA ECOLOBICI Business Project

Guatemala 2022 bike raceBicycles in Competition

Over the past 10 years, many young people have entered the sport of cycling from different places in Guatemala because of our bicycles. They began training on local roads, and over time they were encouraged to participate in competitions. These included different categories, for both men and women, using different types of bicycles. Our quality bikes enabled these young people to compete in events all over Guatemala.

In 2022 the Guatemalan National Cycling Competition passed through our home town of San Andrés Itzapa, Chimaltenango. One of the cyclists from the Guatemalan national team is from Itzapa. The bicycle is a symbol of sport, of competition, and of teamwork. It is of great benefit to the children and youth of our towns.

Bicycles in Schools

Guatemala 2023 child with bikeAlso for more than 10 years we have delivered bicycles to teachers in different communities in Chimaltenango, where children win bicycles by holding a raffle or a competition. Many children who have won bicycles use them to go to school, to run family errands, or just to play sports.

Bicycles for Transportation

Guatemala 2023 FIDESMA bike shopMany men and women have bought bicycles from our FIDESMA ECOLOBICI bike shop. The bikes are used by women who take their market goods home, by young people who go to work in the urban area of Chimaltenango, and by men who use their bikes to commute to the farms and factories where they work. Using bicycles for transportation saves money they would otherwise spend on bus fares.

Sewing Machines

Guatemala 2023 woman sewingSewing machines have always been a very important contribution from Pedals for Progress / Sewing Peace. Each year more than 20 women have benefited from a sewing machine. Women use their sewing machines mainly in their clothing stores. They repair clothing for other people, they make new garments for sale, and they repair clothing for their own families.

Our Resellers

Guatemala 2023 bike resellerBecause of the pandemic, people from around the country were looking for new business opportunities. In parts of Guatemala that we do not get to, some of these people decided to become resellers of our bicycles. They buy loads of our bikes and resell them in their communities for a profit.