In rural areas of Senegal, public transport is non-existent, forcing people to travel on foot for any purpose. This situation results in poor academic performance and a high rate of absenteeism, which ultimately leads to school dropout. The enrolment rate in primary education is 84%, in middle school 58%, and in secondary or high school 28%. One of the main causes of this decline is the long distances students must walk every day.
The Bicycles for Education project aims to create a school transport system using bicycles to ensure better access to education for students in rural areas of Senegal. This bicycle transport system is implemented by establishing the necessary infrastructure to guarantee proper bicycle operation throughout the school year: repair workshop, parking area, bicycle storage, etc.; applying a project implementation and monitoring protocol; and providing each participating school with a number of bicycles suited to the mobility needs of their students.
The first step is to build the workshop and parking area and to select and train a mechanic, who will be responsible for repairing bicycles daily and ensuring that the fleet remains in perfect working condition. Next, the school communicates and promotes the project among students, families, and the community, and opens registration for interested students. Once the list of students is confirmed, the bicycles are handed over to the school, which distributes them to the students living furthest from the school.
