'Give a kid a bike, and hope' - site links donors, kids in war-ravaged parts of the world

88Bikes is a micro-philanthophy site that makes it easy for people to give new bikes directly to specific kids and young adults in developing and challenging places around the world – in Cambodia in 2006 and northern Uganda in 2007. The three Americans behind the project – writer/filmmaker Dan Austin; his brother Jared Austin, pediatric chief resident at the University of Minnesota; and social media entrepreneur Nick Arauz - believe "it doesn't always take a massive relief organization to tip the scales for joy and sustainability in places where children and young adults are challenged to be their own heroes". 

In 2006, more than 105 people from the United States, Canada and Germany participated in their initial campaign to buy 88 bikes for the 88 kids at the Palm Tree Orphanage in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. In 2007, the goal of raising money to buy 200 Bikes for kids at the Patongo School and in the nearby villages in northern Uganda was reached on Christmas Eve, December 24th.

The 88Bikes team traveled to Uganda to purchase and ship the boxed and unassembled bikes to Patongo, five hours’ drive north of Gulu, in northern Uganda. In Patongo, bike mechanics from Gulu worked for two days to assemble the bikes, and then the bikes were distributed Jan. 1-2 to the 200 recipients - orphans, refugees, former child soldiers, and street children ranging in age from 5-17, many of whom appear in the film War/Dance directed by Sean Fine.

Just as in Cambodia, some of the children will get training in bike repair and mechanics, teaching the other kids how to fix their bikes. 88Bikes partners with NGOs working in the region – in the case of Uganda, with the Global Youth Partnership for Africa. 

Their blog shares the stories. “As we gave away each bike, we asked the child what he or she wanted to be when they grew up. We got a host of answers, from "President of the Country" to "Pilot" to "Doctor." But the most touching response of all came from the fellow who received the very last bike we gave away. This bike was given to a young man of about 16 years. He had lost his parents to the war and was now heading his household, caring for his younger siblings and still going to school. We asked him what he wanted to be, and he said: Farmer.”

 


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