Riding around Port Phillip Bay on a tandem bamboo bicycle to help people in rural Zambia

Tim and Meredith Budge, who will participate in this year's Around the Bay in a Day on a tandem bamboo bicycle.

A Plan International team will take part in this year’s Around the Bay in a Day bike ride on October 17 to raise $10,000 for rural communities in Zambia - but this is a ride with a significant difference.

Plan Zambia’s Country Director, Melburnian Tim Budge, will ride with his wife Meredith on a tandem bicycle made from bamboo, constructed specially for the event by a small Zambian business called Zambikes.

Money raised by the Plan Zambia team will be used to buy bicycles and trailers called Zambulances to help Plan’s work with rural Zambian communities.

To support Tim and Meredith visit their fundraising page.

Zambikes was founded in 2007 as a response to the serious transport issues that affect many Zambians. Some of the impacts of limited transport options include:

• People can spend up to 70 per cent of their already limited income on transport.

• Walking to work can take an average of three hours or more for people in rural areas.

• A nurse or a social worker travelling on foot can visit an average of only three patients a day.

Zambikes recognised that affordable bicycles that were custom-built for the rugged Zambian environment were needed. Since 2007 Zambikes has sold hundreds of bicycles to organisations and individuals with a huge impact on life and work. Just some of the positive effects include:

• A person that used to walk three hours to work can now make the journey in just 40 minutes.

• A nurse or social worker can visit an average of 10 patients per day.

• A person can carry more than double the weight on the bike’s rear rack than in their arms. For a transport entrepreneur that means double the income.

Zambikes also makes two trailers – the Zambulance and the Zamcart. The sturdy, covered Zambulance can be attached to a bicycle and is much faster and more comfortable than the ox carts or wheelbarrows used in the past, meaning that patients can be transported quickly to medical facilities.

Tim has seen first-hand the impact of Zambikes’ bicycles and Zambulances on communities. “The Zambulance is particularly important for emergency transport for the ill, wounded or expectant mothers,” he said.

“Traditional birth attendants and motherhood groups are now able to reach more expectant mothers, and reports from many provinces show that Zambulances are being used to transport more mothers to health facilities for safer deliveries,” he said.

A few years ago Zambikes starting making bicycles from locally-grown bamboo to sell as a novelty overseas and it has proven a very popular fundraising tool.

Zambikes employs locals and sources many materials from the surrounding area. The original workforce, a local soccer team, still works for the company and competes every weekend.

Zambikes founder Mwewa Chikamba says another key goal of the business was providing practical skills to Zambians. The company also provides business coaching and discretionary loans; instead of interest on the loan, Zambikes asks that people demonstrate the community benefit for each loan.

The Zambike retails for approximately $A468 and the Zambulance for about $A560.

Find out more about Zambikes.

Support Plan Zambia’s fundraising to buy more Zambikes and Zambulances.