Tricycle Project

Lack of mobility can be a huge problem, especially for physically handicapped people:

Communication becomes more difficult… it’s difficult to visit friends and relatives…
Independence is hampered… you always have to ask others to help you out…
Social contacts deteriorate…. it’s nearly impossible to get a decent job….
Dignity suffers…. the inability to help others diminishes your feeling of being important…

The big smiles of the kids in this photo show what it does to somebody to be able to fully participate in social life.

This is what the “race monsters” should be like...

On their way to visit friends... even with 3 at the same time...

Independence, being able to communicate, dignity ... it is written all over their faces...!

Holland…. Land of bicycles….

If there are a lot of bikes somewhere in the word, it would be in China, but guess what, Holland has its share.
That’s exactly why our foundation honoured the request from the local people to help them to realize this project.

That’s easier said than done though!

At Willem Struijs Centre, manually motored tricycles will be assembled from used bicycle parts obtained from Holland. These bicycles have to be equipped with a reverse brake, otherwise they cannot be used for this purpose.

Clear instructions have been received on how the bicycles have to be cut in pieces, so that more of them fit in a container headed for Congo Brazzaville and also to make it easier to reassemble the parts.

As part of this project, we will be educating “Bicycle Technicians”, which in turn provides jobs and the opportunity to earn an honest salary and- consequently – to realise a higher standard of living.

In Holland we are ready to start gathering the right bicycles. We need many!!! It takes 2 normal bicycles to make one tricycle!

We can start assembly as soon as the expansion of the Centre has been finished.