By Simon Akouete
Summer 2021 Newsletter

The Togolese population is predominantly young and the state does not guarantee jobs for all, so we are seeing insufficient opportunity for young people. Because of this lack of opportunity, an alternative approach is needed to help young people acquire skills, become leaders, and work together to build the future of their community.

Défi et Révolution de la Vie Rurale (DRVR-TOGO) is a non-profit organization under Togolese law whose mission is to help young people and vulnerable women find sustainable employment or create a sustainable business. We have created a program of guidance, training, and follow-up support through a project called BICYCLE FOR ALL. DRVR-TOGO and Pedals for Progress intend to strengthen the resilience of Togolese to health and economic crises.

Bicycles can be extremely useful in Togo:

• Students sometimes walk for more than an hour to get to school.
• Farmers sometimes walk for hours to get to their farms.
• Sick people sometimes stay at home because they do not have the means of getting to the health center.
• Women use bikes to carry all kinds of cargo: water, firewood, and even children.

BICYCLE FOR ALL partners with communities to make it easier to get around, leading to social and economic development. Bicycles offer affordable transportation for rural populations, help improve their access to resources such as education, health care, employment and markets. Most rural populations walk because motorized transport is often scarce and extremely expensive. Cycling is four times more efficient than walking.

BICYCLE FOR ALL is a program that brings bikes to the most rural areas of Togo and organizes workshops in villages where people can buy bicycles at subsidized costs and receive training in bicycle maintenance.

In our introductory workshop, people learn basic maintenance and repair of bicycles, such as cleaning and oiling the chain, repair of flats, and correct use of brakes and gear systems. In advanced workshops, bike mechanics learn to use freewheel tools and chain tools while receiving hands-on training on more advanced cycling systems. This program also offers bicycle tools at subsidized costs, We hope that our programs help people find or create long-term employment as bike mechanics and help keep bikes on the road.

BICYCLE FOR ALL also focuses its programs on women and girls by guaranteeing them a loan for the development of their Income Generating Activities.

World Water Day is an annual United Nations observance day held on 22 March that highlights the importance of fresh water. This year’s theme is the value of water. The value of water is not limited to its price, far from it: it has huge importance for households, food, culture, health, education, economy and our entire natural environment. If we neglect any of the complex issues surrounding water, we risk not managing wisely this limited and irreplaceable resource. Here in Togo, this day is celebrated coupled with the national day of emancipation of women. For this celebration, DRVR-TOGO organized a bicycle race for women. “Water source of life” is the slogan of the ceremony, but we are far from the dream of easily available water. Many of our villages have no water, and women travel miles by bike carrying containers of water.

The BICYCLE FOR ALL program will improve the lives of the people in our communities, especially women. So we are launching a call to our partner Pedals for Progress to continue to support us through its bicycle and sewing machine programs.