The local group 'Kenilworth-Uyogo Friendship Link' has expressed its thanks to the many people of Kenilworth who made donations to help enable female students cycle quickly and safely to school in rural Tanzania.

The 'Buy-A-Bike' alternative gift scheme was launched in November 2020 by this year's Mayor of Kenilworth, Cllr Richard Dickson.

In the three months since then, donations from individuals and organisations in Kenilworth, such as Kenilworth Rotary Club, have raised nearly £4,000. Donations arrived from beyond Kenilworth as well, as people were inspired by this practical way of making a difference to Uyogo schoolgirls' education, and transforming their life chances.

As a result of fundraising, 66 bikes were presented to their new owners in Uyogo on Tuesday, February 16.

Each locally purchased bicycle, costing £50 delivered to Uyogo, will make a huge difference to the life of a secondary school girl, some of whom live up to 26km away from school; walking long distances to school means those in the furthest villages are struggling to attend.

Bike donors can now see a video of the official Bike Presentation ceremony in Uyogo in the video at the top of this page.

The secondary school owns the bikes and allocates them to their female students, who often struggle more than boys to get schooling. 

Each bike is numbered on the back mudguard so a record is kept of who has been allocated which bike; and each bike is marked 'KUFL' on their chain guard, for security. While the girls use the bikes they and their families are responsible for their bike's security and for all maintenance. 

There are many bicycle 'fundis' or experts in Uyogo, and the nearest town Urambo, so bike maintenance is no problem. 

When the girls finish school, after their form four examinations, they will hand their bike back to the school, to be re-allocated to another student.

Kenilworth has had a friendship link with Uyogo in Tanzania for more than 40 years.  When the new government secondary school opened in the village, with a very wide catchment area, staff and parents feared that girls walking to school from their homes in neighbouring communities were at significant risk of being attacked.  

Uyogo community leaders asked for help to provide bicycles for girls so they could cycle safely to and from school, in groups.

Kenilworth is an active cycling town, with its own cycle 'school bus' for primary school children operating before Covid, the regular bike event on Kenilworth Common on Boxing Day and other notable cycling races passing through, with strong local support.

Delighted with the recent presentation of the first tranche of 66 bikes to secondary school girls in Uyogo, Cllr Richard Dickson said: "Kenilworth residents have always been very generous towards the people of Uyogo, I hope more people will contribute to this Buy-a-Bike scheme which lasts until the end of my mayoral term in May 2021; we plan a second bike presentation in June.

"I know there are more bright secondary school girls in Uyogo needing this practical help to pursue their education and create a better future."

More links, videos and photographs about KUFL's work and other recent projects completed in 2020 can be found on on the group's website.

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