The Bicycle Project

2012-01-25T12:31:00.002+05:30

Here are the 25 bicycles Merck Serono India donated to the project, waiting to be delivered to the lucky school children who will have them. Hurrah for Merck Serono India once more!

Thank you Merck Serono India and Dfrens Consulting!

2012-01-16T17:47:00.000+05:30

The Bicycle Project would like to sincerely thank Merck Serono India for their donation of 25 bicycles, which they built during a team activity at their Annual Conference on Monday, January 9, 2012 at the Grand Hyatt, Kalina. Dfrens Consulting organised this activity for Merck Serono India. We're sharing with you pictures of the event here...To know more about these lovely people, please visit this link

2011-11-29T14:54:00.001+05:30

The Bicycle Project would like to thank Joanna Williams, Head of primary at Ecole Mondial school, her husband David Williams and friend Poonam Maheshwari for their immense contribution to the bicycle project. These are pictures David clicked of the bicycle distribution last week at the three schools: Zilla Parishad School Bandhgar, ZP School Saiwan and ZP School Veti - all of which are in the Dahanu Taluka, Thane District.

Thank you again!

Thank you Ecole Mondial!

2011-04-01T21:05:00.003+05:30

We are delighted to share some news with you: The Bicycle Project was the recipient of donated funds from the students of Ecole Mondial World School in Mumbai thanks to the diligent efforts of one of the parents, Poonam Maheshwari and the school staff. These funds will go towards repairing the old bicycles that people have been kind enough to donate to us, and further will benefit deserving tribal children. From The Bicycle Project team - Thank you so much!

Pune chapter of The Bicycle Project

2010-08-09T22:15:00.004+05:30

The Bicycle Project's Pune Chapter headed by the very dedicated Kiran Deolalkar has collected, fixed and donated 61 bikes to village school children with another 35 bikes to be donated by the first week of September. Way to go Kiran!!!

TBP in the news again!

2010-08-03T11:39:00.003+05:30

The latest coverage of The Bicycle Project as featured in The Telegraph article on Green Warriors, dated August 2, 2010: http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090802/jsp/graphiti/story_11309234.jsp

2010-06-09T14:11:00.004+05:30

The Bicycle Project got its first volunteer teacher who taught English to the tribal kids for a whole month and in return stayed for free at Hideout.

Wouldn't you like to do the same? This offer is open to all. Come and volunteer to teach the children basic English for a month or longer, and you will be taken care of at the Hideout Eco Resort.

If you're interested, call Hemant Chhabra on 9820149022.

Here's Aude-Claire Doiseau with her students...

2009-03-23T14:46:00.003+05:30

The Bicycle Project is thrilled to announce a short film contest in association with the Shamiana Short Film Club

Contest details:

Theme: Bicycles and children - any treatment, style or genre is welcome and this is open to everyone

Duration: Not more than 2 minutes

Deadline: 30th April 2009

Prizes: Internships with renowned film makers, an opportunity to direct a film with well known stars and produced by Shamiana, participation in international film festivals such as the River to River - Florence Indian Film Festival, the first festival in the world entirely devoted to films from and about India

Contact details:
For info about Shamiana and the contest you can email: shamianashorts@gmail.com and check out the Facebook group. Only if absolutely necessary, you can call AVLEEN -- 9833671313, RICHA -- 9833000540

The results will be declared by 5th May 2009 and the wining films screened by 15th May 2009. Judges on the panel will include renowned film and theatre actor Tom Alter.

2009-02-16T19:37:00.001+05:30

THIS FORM NEEDS TO ACCOMPANY EVERY BIKE DONATED TO THE BICYCLE PROJECT

ALL THOSE DONATING A BIKE, NEED TO FILL THIS FORM

We're happy to report - the project is going places! And if you would like to be a part of this movement, we'd be glad to accept your contribution. Please remember though, that you would need to download, print and fill out this form for every bike that you donate.

This ensures three things:
1. That the bikes can never be used for anything illegal or untoward by anyone
2. It helps us to keep our accounts transparent
3. It allows us to maintain our records

If you are sharing the news about this simple but beautiful initiative with your friends, do remind them to keep the form filled out and ready for us when we come to pick up the bike. It saves your time and ours.

If you plan to drop off the bikes at a collection centre, please also submit the filled out form - there's one in English and one in Marathi.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

2009-02-16T18:31:00.008+05:30

COLLECTION CENTRES FOR OLD BICYCLES

We have received many responses in Mumbai as well as from the capital with offers of old bicycles for donation to the project and we're happy to say - we now have more places you can drop them!

Friends of the project have been kind enough to offer their spaces as Collection Centres where folks can come and drop the bikes at the centre closest to them.

So spread the word to all your Mumbai and Delhi friends and ask them to get in touch now!

IN DELHI
Name: Shailendra Thukral
Contact no: 9212087898
Email: shailendra.thukral@gmail.com
Centre 1 address: AG 9, Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, Delhi 42.
Centre 2 address: 42 Khanna Market, Delhi 6.
Centre 3 address: A 4/23 Rawal Pindi Garden, UP Border.

Name: Pooja Ghulati
Contact no: Pooja at 9873081996 and Ravi at 011-25705588/87
Email: pooja.ghulati@gmail.com
Centre address: EA - 381 Maya Enclave, New Delhi - 64.

Name: Veena Agarwal
Contact no: 9312232486
Email: kanwalveena@yahoo.com
Centre address: F1/17 Model Town.

IN MUMBAI

Name: Kenneth Hopkins
Contact no: 02226004520, +919768920125 / +919769103386
Email: hopkins.bicycles.online@gmail.com
Centre address: Shop No. 7, Silver Croft, 16th Road, TPS III, Pali, Bandra, Mumbai - 400 050

Name: Sunil Gogia
Contact no: 022-25583108, 9819300270, 9967125533
Email: none
Centre address: C - 13, Dattaguru society, Deonar, Mumbai.

Name: Anjani Mehta
Contact no: 91-22-25535852 or mobile 9821137751
Email: none
Centre address: Krishna Mansion, Bungalow 9, Mysore Colony, near Aashish Theatre, Chembur East, Mumbai 74 (right turn at Aashish opp RCF gate no.2).

Name: Sanjiv and Girish Nadkarni
Contact no: Sanjiv on 9820643299, Girish on 9820294348 (please contact between 7:30am to 10:30am and 1pm to 4pm)
Email: nsanjiv@gmail.com
Centre address: ParleGreens, Vardhan Apts, Shop no.3, Nanda Patkar Road, Vile Parle East, Mumbai 57.

Name: Michael (Manager of Café Goa, and a social worker in his spare time)
Contact number: 9920919119, 26404115, 26459151Note: Please don’t call these numbers unless absolutely necessary, just ask for Michael in person when you drop off your bicycles. Don’t forget to print out and fill the form (also available on this blog), which should be handed to him with your bike.

Centre Address: Café Goa, Agnelo Building, Khadeshwari Mandir Marg, Off St John Baptist Road, Bandra (W), Mumbai.

Name: Naaz Chowdhary
Contact numbers: 26666131
Cell: 9820143867
Email: LeAmies@hotmail.com
Centre address: 183, Chowdhary Bungalow, Kalina, Santacruz (East), Mumbai 400029.

Note: When you drop off your bicycles. Don’t forget to print out and fill the form (also available on this blog), which should be handed over with your bike.

2009-02-05T18:15:00.000+05:30

The BIG Republic Day GIVE AWAY

The Bicycle Project is proud to announce that we succeeded in collecting, repairing and distributing 68 old bicycles to the students of the Sri Binoi Gharde Vidhalaya in Alone, Vikramgarh Taluka, Mumbai.

Since the inception of this drive during Diwali 2008, we've had some very special people pitch in to help make it simpler for poor village children to get to school. A big THANK YOU to all of you. A list of names is going to feature here soon, of all the people who donated their old bikes, the ones who donated money and others who gave generously of their time and energy to make this project a reality.

The weekend in January just before the 26th, a bunch of friends, some of whom were journalists, came along for the giveaway – to show their support, to be witnesses for the project's first big step and to be a part of the excitement. We all stayed at The Hideout, reaching on Saturday night and post the giveaway, leaving after a big lunch on Monday afternoon.

Saturday night saw everyone unwind slowly after the long drive, soaking in the charm of the Hemant and Sangeeta's lovely organic resort. While some stumbled into bed after dinner, others stayed up talking under stars, sleeping under a new moon sky, inky velvet and crisply cold.

Sunday was lazy and tiring at the same time. After getting their bearings, all the visitors grabbed breakfast and each one found a different way to unwind during the day. Some of us rode a couple of bikes to the nearby pond where we cooled our feet in the water and stared at fishes darting around in the shallows. Others visited the lake and waterfall a short drive away, to splash about. What no one realised was that the sun was powerful, and each of us felt a bit sun-sick later in the day.

But that didn't dampen any spirits, and the next morning we were all geared up for the giveaway – The kids looked even more excited than we were, many were preparing in the classrooms, for a performance onstage once the announcements would finish.

The Bicycle Project's 68 bikes were waiting in a hall just off the main grounds, gleaming in the cool room, being inspected by some of the kids, some of whom were probably wondering if they would receive one.

Before the various (and seemingly unending) announcements of sundry school activities and awards began, the school authorities called us on stage to present bikes to a a few children off the list of 137 needy students they had provided us with. Each of us got to gift a token envelope containing the child's name and class details, to a student. They seemed so shy and humble that it was hard not to smile from ear to ear when they came up on stage.

The project is still working on collecting some more bikes (137-68=69) to give the rest of those kids on the list, a chance to get to school a little easier, faster. Can you help in any way? If you have idea, suggestions or even want to show us your support, feel free to get in touch with us at thebicycleproject@gmail.com or call on 9820149022. We'd love to hear from you!

For more pics of the big giveaway and the weekend, go here, here, here and here.

2008-12-11T18:29:00.000+05:30

Greetings from The Bicycle Project!

If you're keen on being a part of this lovely little movement, feel free to download the campaign poster and put it up in your building society, school, college, office or on just about any notice board you receive permission to add to.

This is an A4 size poster, do try and print it out in colour so that its eye-catching effect attracts a lot more eyeballs than a black and white print out would. Just click on the image.

The A3 sized poster is in pdf format so make sure you have an Adobe Acrobat Reader. Just click on the link.

Grateful thanks to my friend and colleague, HELLO! magazine art director Suresh Bhandary, who designed this lovely poster and to my friend, do-gooder and talented graphic designer Neil Dantas for crafting the smart logo. They both did it for FREE and with a lot of passion. You guys are the best!!!

Cheers,
Simona - The Bicycle Project Team

2008-12-04T17:48:00.001+05:30

Our first event - a spray painting workshop with an Italian artist

The Bicycle Project was pleased to have Italian artist Dyana Linda conduct a bicycle spray painting workshop for kids at Xploration - a Billabong and Kangaroo Kids event at their school in Malad, Mumbai on November 16, 2008.

The kids had a blast and learnt how to spruce up an old bicycle. We will be using these bikes at future events to draw attention to this sweet little cause that seems to be getting a huge response!

If you want to organise a similar workshop in your area, feel free to get in touch with us at thebicycleproject@gmail.com

Check out the pictures (just click on the link) and do enjoy the video too (below)!

Cheers,

Simona - The Bicycle Project Team

2008-12-04T17:48:00.000+05:30

http://picasaweb.google.co.in/simonaterron/TheBicycleProjectBillabongKangarooKidsEvent#

2008-11-04T21:24:00.001+05:30

A peek into what it's all about....

THE BICYCLE PROJECT

Give your old bicycle to a village school child

In villages located a couple of hours outside Mumbai, there are several children aged 6-16 years, walking an average of 2-7 kms a day, one way, to get an education. This is the generation that will bring about a change for the better – for their families, their villages, and who knows, maybe even their country and some day, the world!
Going to school is the most important thing for these kids – and they know that.
Which is why no distance is too long – and walking for hours is normal because missing school is not an option. Whether rain or shine, blistering heat or freezing cold, these children do their best to get to school on time, every day.
We're asking you to help these children by being part of The Bicycle Project

What is The Bicycle Project?
We're collecting your old bicycles, which are probably of little use to their owners and lie rusting on a terrace, or in a stairwell or garage. After giving these bikes a new lease of life, we deliver them to the village kids in and around Mumbai, in Maharashtra.

Phase 1 of this project will help children in the villages of Thappar Pada, Wada and Vikramgarh with a farmhouse called The Hideout as the base for distribution of the bikes to the children.

These villages are located 100 kms from Mumbai, off the Ahmedabad highway in Thane district.

We have made our primary focus, the 900 students of the Marathi medium SSC board high school called Sri Binoi Gharde Sajjan Vidhalaya in Alonde, Vikramgarh Taluka. Once the 137 needy students from this school have received a bicycle each, we will move on to the next village and so on.

Donors and those interested are welcome to come and visit these children at any time if you wish to see how your simple gift of an old bicycle can make a huge difference to their lives.

So is this all about bicycles?
It's only the first step. Eventually the plan is to introduce and expose these children to two things that will help them enter the mainstream: English and computers.

The Hideout getaway will offer free food and accommodation to anyone wishing to spend a month or so, to visit the school in Alonde and spent time with the children. No expertise in grammar or teaching is needed; these kids just need to hear English the way it is spoken by people who use it in their day-to-day lives.

Old computers that are too outdated to upgrade and which will fetch not more than a couple of hundred rupees from a bhangaarwallah are also welcome, for the kids to get accustomed to using a computer. Those who donate their old computers will receive a discount if they choose to visit The Hideout for a stay.

So why should you bother helping?
Well, we're hoping it'll give you that warm fuzzy feeling inside that comes from helping those less fortunate than you. But honestly, if you care about the state of our country, it's easy to see that children's education is a number one priority right up there with the nutritious food, clean water and unpolluted air – things that children all over the world rightfully deserve. Your old bikes can get a child to school and give him or her a chance at a better future.

What do you have to do?
You could pick up the phone and call Hemant on 9820149022 or email us at thebicycleproject@gmail.com. And we'd be happy to have the bikes picked up and repaired, after which we will pass them on to deserving village children.
If you can, please extend your generosity to printing out the poster and putting it up where it will attract the maximum attention and more participation.

Other ways in which you can help:
1) Sponsoring the repairs of the bikes (on an average, each bike costs Rs 400 to fix up)
2) Transporting (or sponsoring it) the bikes from the donors' homes to the repair shop and then to the village
3) Sharing a space where all the bikes donated in your area can be collected, before they are picked up in a single trip, which will save a lot of time, money and energy

Don't forget to sign up (on the top right corner of this blog) , you will receive an email every time we update the site! We're also building our website www.thebicycleproject.co.in, which will be ready soon.