Two brand new Daily panel vans have been donated by IVECO South Africa to Qhubeka. These will be used to help the organisation with bicycle mechanic training in the communities in which it operates.
Qhubeka helps people move forward and progress by giving bicycles in return for work done to improve communities, the environment or academic results. Having a bicycle changes people’s lives by increasing the distance they can travel, what they can carry, where they can go and how fast they can get there. Anthony Fitzhenry, Qhubeka Director says, “For every 500 bicycles Qhubeka distributes into a community, it trains three bicycle mechanics. This ensures that the community is able to properly maintain the Qhubeka Buffalo Bicycles and gives the mechanics an opportunity to build a bicycle servicing and repair business, providing an income for them and their families. These vans will help our trainer, Des, as he visits the communities to teach the bicycle mechanics. He can now take the bicycles, spares, tools and everything else he needs, in the vehicle with him in one go. Essentially, the Daily has become his mobile bicycle mechanic training centre.” IVECO has previously donated two other vehicles, a Daily and a Stralis truck, to Qhubeka and its partner Wildlands Conservation Trust.Fitzhenry adds, “Qhubeka sincerely appreciates IVECO’s continued support and their assistance in helping us to mobilise more people with bicycles.”
Christophe Longuet of IVECO states, “By supporting Qhubeka, IVECO is not only delivering a product to transport a nation, but empowering the underprivileged to transport themselves, allowing them to pick the fruits of our young democracy.”