Akerfa

Employment and Training of Assemblers

Zambikes trained over 60 bicycle mechanics in 2007 and 2008 and employed 20 of them to assemble their bikes. The employment opportunities that Zambikes provides are crucial in a country where unemployment ranges from 50 to 80 percent.

Advanced Training in Welding and Fabrication

Training provides more than just a job; it is a transferable skill for these men that no one can take from them. This is a unique opportunity for the Zambikes team to preach the Gospel to these gentlemen in a very tangible way.

Mentoring in Career and Individual Development

The Akerfa and Zambikes team seek to disciple, empower, and encourage workers within their work week.

Developing and Empowering Entrepreneurs

Zambikes incorporates Biblical entrepreneurship training in their bicycle schools. One of the success stories from this was Dennis and Patrick. After receiving some mentoring and encouragement Dennis and Patrick took a loan of $6 to move goods with their bicycle from the bush to town. In three weeks they had paid back the loan, turned it to $160 and both bought 12-acre farms. How did they do this? With a bicycle, of course.

Creating Additional Time with Families

Children benefit tremendously by having their parents around more. Time that was previously spent gathering necessities can now be spent at home.

Better Family Income

Walking to work can take 3 hours or more. Traveling on a bicycle it is only a 40 minute trip. This means there is more time spent with one’s family and more money in a family’s budget that was not spent on transportation.

Freedom and Mobility

A high quality bicycle is often the difference between making it or missing it. It is the difference between getting to work every day or often missing out on work because public transportation is unreliable or too full. When surviving from day to day as many Zambians do, this can mean the difference between eating or not eating, getting to a hospital or becoming dangerously ill. The ability to go where you need to go, when you need to go fosters an increased quality of life.

Pastors and Ministries

With a bicycle, a pastor can attend Bible school to receive training and increase the efficiency of their ministry. This allows a pastor to reach people in the bush where cars cannot even go. With a bike, pastors can positively impact many of the social ills that plague developing nations.

Medical Care

Road quality in the bush is very poor, resulting in hazardous driving conditions. Therefore, bikes have become the optimal mode of emergency transportation. This is especially true for mothers giving birth, who if given proper treatment, may avoid passing HIV on to their children. A nurse or a health care worker who has a bike can see to and treat 10 patients in one day, while on foot she can see only 3. In addition, her time is spent focused on patients, not the clock. With a bike she does not have a long walk home.

Security and Justice

At the moment, there is little to no justice in the bush. If someone catches a criminal, they can not afford to pay for a taxi for the police to come and pick up the criminal. The law enforcement officers need a good bike so they can be more effective at making Zambia a safe place to live. Akerfa is excited to partner with Zambikes in the movement to bring justice to the bush.

Reducing our Environmental Footprint