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I never knew bikes could play such a vital role as reducing poverty of households especially in Uganda. I never knew a bike could change people’s livelihoods. I never knew a bike could give peoples life meaning! People look at cars, motor bikes and other auto mobiles as the only ones that can easily reduce poverty levels of individuals. Last year, I witnessed two young men and one boy child of the school going age whose life has been greatly changed because of the bikes they received. I learnt that a mere bike can change people’s lives. In fact it is very easy to maintain it since it needs no fuel at all.

The two young men belonged to two ‘chronically poor’ households. They grew pineapples but they could not access markets for their pineapples. A newly established NGO [Community Based Initiative for Rural Development (CBIRD) in collaboration with a USA based charity Wheels4Life] came to work in this area and they saw the state of the households where the two young men lived. They decided to give a bike to each of the two young men to help them access market for their pineapples for them to earn a living. 11 months later, one of them had already managed to buy a cow while the other had bough a motor bike (second hand bike)!

The one who bought a cow was lucky. His cow delivered this year and he is able to sell milk every day. On top of that, his family gets a liter of milk in the morning and evening for their tea. Moreover, the cow dung is used as fertilizers for the pineapple garden while the bike is still in good condition and is being used to transport other agricultural items to the market. From the money this young man earns from the milk sales, one of his children has been able to join primary school while the family can afford two meals a day (they can buy food when it is needed)! The family members look healthier; they have at least two pairs of clothes and a blanket each, which was not possible before! The family is capable of saving at least shillings 3200 (US $ 1.6) per day. This is great and amazing. Can you see how a bike can change people’s lives?

The young man who bought a second hand motor bike (from the pineapple proceeds) also has two important assets: a bike, and a motor bike. He uses the motor bike to transport people every day and this gives him money each day. The young man shared that he can save shillings 5000 (US $ 2.7) each day. He opened up a savings account and thinks with these savings; he can be able to buy a piece of land in the near future! His bike is still in good condition and he still uses it fetch water at home, to carry pineapples to the market, and do other domestic work. With the proceeds from the motor bike and those from the pineapple the young man pays fees for all his three children and the family can afford to buy food, access medication and other life’s needs without encroaching on the savings! A mere bike has lifted this young man and his family from dust to decent life! Surely a bike can do wonders.