Learners all set to cycle to school
Bicycle beneficiaries are selected according to distance from the schools, family background, financial considerations, and the individual’s behaviour track record at school.
Mlonde High School, just outside Margate, recently received 30 bicycles from the Sweetbike Community Project.
The associate director at Serenity Hills, Ayanda Masengemi, said it was important to assist learners in getting to school on time so they can enjoy full attendance and excel in the final phase of high school.
Masengeni said the Sweetbike initiative was implemented in 2018 as a result of the dire need for a low-cost and accessible mode of transport for learners within rural areas.
A large number were forced to drop out of school due to the high costs of public transport and the long distances to access public schools.
He said bicycle beneficiaries are selected according to their distance from the schools, family background, financial considerations and the individual’s behaviour track record at school.
“To create a regular supply of quality bicycles, second-hand bicycles are donated, largely by residents in Europe, and shipped to South Africa. They are then refurbished at the Sweetbike Workshop, which forms part of the skills centre at Serenity Hills, employing and upskilling people from the local communities. Once the bikes are refurbished they are donated to children attending rural schools in Ray Nkonyeni Municipality,” said Masengemi.
He added that the total number of bikes donated to remote schools in the region number 2 300, including helmets for safety.
Masengemi added: “To maintain the safety of the bicycles, learners receive lockers, and the school prints serial numbers on each one and monitors the upkeep by each recipient. We are planning to expand the project to the Eastern Cape. We also wish to expand our outreach efforts and add initiatives that will benefit the local community and show our deep commitment to their advancement and prosperity.”
He said the Sweetbike Community Project falls under the Serenity Hills Skills Upliftment Centre established by international donors and Swiss entrepreneurs, the Wenger family in 2015.
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