Kona BikeTown Africa

Partnership With UTI To Deliver AfricaBikes

Most of you who are reading this probably know a bit about the BikeTown Africa program. What you might not know is the logistical game that goes on with trying to deliver 1,000 Kona AfricaBikes to different parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

UTI (a global shipping company we've worked with in the past) recently suggested that they handle the door-to-door delivery of all bikes to Africa to ease delivery issues and make things more seamless. These guys laid on their support thick, saying - this is what we do and if we handle the door-to-door, the process will be more efficient and effective for everyone involved. We said, yes, thank you, you are the best.

Then UTI added, by the way, we won't charge you for it. We replied, you are the sickest, raddest, coolest people on the planet. They agreed.

UTI has committed to delivering all the Africabikes that are going to healthcare workers this year. So, what does this commitment amount to? In real terms, transport can be half the cost of getting a bicycle landed in a country, so financially the support is huge. And this in turn amounts to a more sustainable and streamlined delivery of bicycles overall. UTI's commitment certainly won't go unnoticed by the home healthcare workers in Tanzania and South Africa - who are next in line to receive the bicycles this year.

For the full update, visit Bicycling magazine.

KENYA: Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation - Kona Africabike Donation

In April, Kona Basic Needs donated 75 Kona Africabikes to the Tegla Loroupe Peace Foundation in Kapenguria, Kenya. Check out the video from the trip. 

AfricaBike Featured In REI Gearmail

In their current Gearmail Newsletter that is dished out to 2.65 Million subscribers, REI has highlighted the Kona AfricaBike and BikeTown Africa program in its "Featured Gear" section.

The article praises the goal of the program and sheds light on the bike that has changed thousands of lives. For the full story, CLICK HERE.

Thanks For $7,282.45

And the support for the BikeTown Africa program keeps pouring in from the Blacksburg, VA area. This time the generous folks at the Blacksburg Health and Fitness at the Weight Club held a fundraiser on March 29 that raised $7,282.45 - about $3,500 more than originally anticipated!

The "BikeTown Africa Spin-A-Thon" was spearheaded by the club's general manager Christie Heslip and coordinator Ava Howard - with additional help from past fundraiser specialist Christine George. Last year, Christine (a graduate student at Virginia Tech) raised more than $10,000 for the BikeTown Africa program and assisted Kona and the BikeTown crew in Mozambique where they built about 200 AfricaBikes for home healthcare workers.

More than 70 eager participants spun at the Spin-A-Thon for the four hour long cycle class. Teams of cyclists paid $100 and individuals $50 to take part in the "suffer fest" - with local sponsors providing fundraising incentives to boost the overall donation total. The event inspired the entire Blacksburg community.

We can't thank you enough for your efforts in helping the cause. For a letter from the folks in Blacksburg, CLICK HERE.

The AfricaBike And All Its Glory...

Check out the rave review from Road.cc about the Kona AfricaBike. Not only extremely functional in rural AfricaBike, but everywhere from San Diego to Sydney.

CHECK HERE to read all about it.