The goal of the African Partner program is to identify all of the communities and the teams within them capable of supporting a Bicycle Empowerment Centre. Initially, our goal is to find 2 or 3 capable partners and over time evolve the model to where a number of the initial groups can support new community BECs.

Michael Linke (founder of the Bicycle Empowerment Network), living in Namibia, proved that the model of delivering BECs to remote regions works. The key to it was Michael and his team finding partners-in-need that had community members that cared. He then trained them and and put in place management and administrative programs to ensure accountability, honesty and fairness. It is our hope that the African Partner Program will begin to identify communities with the skills sets to successfully manage a BEC.

This grassroots entrepreneurial model was shared on our website and many stepped up to help the people of Namibia. B4H chapters formed to send bikes and groups like Rotary in the United Kingdom and bike collection groups here in North America sent bikes to Namibia. The model worked in harmony and will for many years to come. The supply of bikes to Namibia and the support globally for the work of BEN and Michael will just keep growing. In Africa, accountability and an entrepreneurial spirit are the keys and they always will be.

It took us a long time to really understand this model as it was continually evolving, but now it is pretty well understood. The need for bikes in Uganda and for that matter all African countries is huge, but right now we must earn the right to go to other countries. In 2009 it is our hope that we can duplicate the model built in Namibia, but this time in Uganda and that more chapters will form and begin to support Uganda as grassroots teams now do in Namibia.

Our goal in 2009 will be to begin to work with good Ugandan partners and deliver a mobility model similar to that in Namibia. We already have great corporate support in Uganda with strong partnerships forming and many groups that send bikes willing to work together to speed the process of deployment.

What is exciting is that many are coming together to make this happen quicker and with more bikes moving to Africa. In Uganda we have terrific organizations in Kigezi and The Women's Prison Support Organization (www.wpsouganda.org), plus The Rwenzori Women's Initiative For Community Development (RWICOD) in Kasese.

It is our hope that these organizations will form the base support network along with a number of others we are meeting with to qualify.

For the first time, all those involved in sending bikes to Africa and Bicycles for Humanity will work together as a team to help make this happen. In Africa, it is our hope that Michael and BEN will also help with support and organization skills.