Location: Africa
Rocket Theme: Economic Model & Equality
Funded since: 2018
Velafrica connects work and integration in Switzerland with development in Africa. Since 1993 the Non-Profit Organisation has collected old, worn-out bicycles, refurbishing them with social institutions and exporting them to its partners in Africa. Through the export of recycled bicycles, Velafrica promotes bike mobility with initiatives like the “Bike to school”-project and social entrepreneurship. Exported bicycles are sent to bicycle centres which serve as hubs for sales and repairs, vocational trainings and bike related jobs.
To date over 250’000 bicycles have been exported to Africa and they plan to reach one million bikes until 2030.
Our Partnership
In 2018 The Rocket Foundation partly funded the set up of a bike hub in Burkina Faso. To date this hub has sold over 10,000 bikes and currently employees around 10 staff.
“Through its donations The Rocket Foundation supported us to open the fifth bike hub in Burkina Faso. This allows the local population to access affordable high quality bicycles from Switzerland. We created jobs as bike mechanics and in logistics and sales. Faso Velo is ambitious and it is expected that we provide 5000 bicycles from Switzerland a year. This is another activity The Rocket Foundation has supported. It is a cause that is worthy of support – every bike shipped improves lives and simplifies the owners day to day routine.”
Paolo Richter, Founder and Executive Director, Velafrica