The bikes donated in the Sweetbike charity programme. Picture: Supplied
Access to education remains a barrier for many South African children within the rural areas, with limited transport being one of the hurdles to overcome.
However, for about 30 to 40 senior high school pupils on the KZN lower South Coast, their future has been made brighter with the donation of bicycles by an NPO managed by Serenity Hills named the Sweetbike Community Project.
The Sweetbike Community Project falls under the Serenity Hills Skills Upliftment Center established by international donors and Swiss entrepreneurs, the Wenger family in 2015.
Sam Wenger, now the Development Director for Serenity Hills, ensures this community initiative remains an integral part of the eco-focused estate near Margate on the KZN South Coast.
Ayanda Masengemi, associate director at Serenity Hills who oversees the Sweetbike project, said the main reason in providing the bicycles was to get the pupils to school.
“Of the utmost importance is assisting the pupils in getting to school on time so they can enjoy full attendance and excel in the final phase of high school. We want to see a high pass rate and we are so privileged to be a part of facilitating their success,” said Mr Masengemi.
The Sweetbike initiative was implemented in 2018 as a result of the dire need for a low-cost and accessible mode of transportation for school children within rural areas.
Countless pupils are forced to drop out of school due to the high costs of public transportation and the long distances they have to walk to access public schools.
To create a regular supply of quality bicycles, second-hand bicycles are donated, largely by residents in Europe and shipped to South Africa. They are then refurbished at the Sweetbike Workshop, which forms part of the Skills Center at Serenity Hills, employing and upskilling people from the local communities.
Once the bikes are refurbished, they are donated to children attending rural schools covering the entire district of the Ray Nkonyeni Municipality.
The latest donation was made to Mlonde High School in Lamonti. This brings the total number of bikes donated to remote schools in the region to approximately 2 300.
Students also receive helmets to safeguard themselves. The bicycle beneficiaries are selected according to distance from the schools, family background, financial considerations, and the individual’s behaviour track record at school.
To maintain the safety of the bicycles, the students received lockers and the school prints serial numbers on each one and monitors the upkeep by each recipient.
Commenting on the future of the Sweetbike project, Mr Masengemi said they were planning to expand the project to supply pupils with bicycles in the Eastern Cape.
“We also wish to expand our community outreach efforts and add initiatives that will benefit the local community and show our deep commitment to their advancement and prosperity.”