Bike shop update and a birthday present idea

Hey folks

The other day I got an email from Moses the bike shop manager giving me an update of how things are going. As of last week they have sold all the bikes and are waiting for resupply. Yep that’s 356 (there were 406 bikes in the container but 50 went to resupply another bike shop 70km away) bikes that have been given a new life here in Africa thanks to all you that donated and helped out, so good on ya’s.

Moses has also been embracing his role as bike workshop manager with many new initiatives. Him the other hardworking men have been going to the local open market and setting up a bike stall and announcing on a megaphone. They have covered every corner in Katima with posters and Moses has made appearances on the local TV and radio stations advertising. Mose tells me that the local furniture and Chinese shops that sell poor quality Chinese and Indian colonial styled single geared bikes have even dropped their prices to compete. The work shop has recently acquired a second hand lap top and printer that will help them out immensely with their monthly reports and keeping in contact with the likes of me. It’s so cool to see how much pride the guys have taken in the work shop and how they are making the most of the opportunity. It’s pretty special.

As you may know my birthday is coming up in a couple of days. I just checked the fundraising website and see that a wooping $10,616.70 has been donated by you generous souls. But I was thinking that going with the 11/11/11 theme of my birthday it would be cool to reach $11,000. Even with work shop set, the money will still be going to the hardworking Melbourne bicycles for humanity crew and will help in the resupply of the Katima bike shop. So if you had wanted to donate before and never got around to, then now is the time. Or if you wanted to buy me a birthday present I couldn’t think of a better one than helping in the resupply of the bike shop. Just hit this little link.

Once again a big thank you to everyone that has donated.