Cycling to improve living conditions and Earth protection
Context
Nigeria is one of the most dynamic economies in West Africa. However, although the country is considered to be the economic powerhouse of the region, inequalities in the country are such that many of the population’s basic needs remain unmet.
The latest World Poverty Clock report in 2018 indicated that 86.5 million people, or about 50% of the population, were living in extreme poverty there. In this context, Ripple Heights has designed a programme focusing on cycling to improve the living conditions of the people.
Objectives
- Raise community awareness of the importance of environmental protection and the healthy and ecological benefits of cycling
- Reduce crime rates in slums
- Help reduce the number of early pregnancies
- Reduce absenteeism and dropout rates in secondary schools
- Help in training professional female athletes
Activities
- Weekly youth training sessions
- Organisation of a local cycling competition
- Professional training of cyclists and linkage with the Nigerian Cycling Federation for international opportunities
- Establishment of student-led cycling clubs supervised by Ripple Heights and local government officials
Impacts
- 300 young people directly impacted by the programme with improved well-being and fitness, employability and reduced dropout rates
- Increased participation of girls in school and sports activities
- Democratisation of the bicycle as a means of transportation
- Improvement of the living environment and development of a culture of environmental protection