BikeWell

Contact: Douglas "Mothusi" Guy
PEER Africa (Pty) Ltd. BikeWell™ Program

BikeWell™ works with employers, corporations and institutions to promote clean transport and "Wellness," a holistic concept based on healthy living and environmentally friendly transport. BikeWell's programs integrate green/clean transport into holistic human settlement and employment scenarios, which include:

• an employee based initiative that starts with road and cycling safety and maintenance;
• encouraging students to develop projects which incorporate cycling as a means to reduce transport barriers;
• bulk purchase to lower the cost of bicycles for participants;
• cycle tours as an income-generating activity;
• encouraging employers to purchase bicycles and allow employees to pay for the bikes over time by direct payroll deductions or savings schemes;
• community and employer health and safety day events.

BikeWell™, initially developed by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy (ITDP) and South African partners, offers corporate and other sponsors the opportunity to start their own bicycle wellness program for employees as well as sponsoring initiatives for the less fortunate. PEER Africa and Kutlwanong Civic Integrated Housing Trust (KCIHT) are the principal implementing arm of the program in South Africa and both have launched projects for their staff. Letters of interest have been received from several large institutions keen to introduce the program into their corporate wellness programs.

BikeWell differs from traditional bike give-away projects in several key areas:

• the integration of a train-the-trainer concept;
• the integration of the health and safety aspects of the program, including activities for populations considered to be at high risk for HIV;
• provision of new bikes fitted with proper safety equipment;
• the focus on empowering historically disadvantaged bike dealers like KCIHT.

In addition the program links cycling to small business and institutions. For example, the program allows the KCIHT staff the opportunity to earn a living through promotion of cycling events, and lowers the transport costs and time for staff to get to work. PEER Africa staff technician Richard Ramphiri uses his company sponsored bike on the job between construction sites and for personal use to travel to and from his home.