Unwanted bicycles in Laois helps children in Tanzania
A couple of the bicycles on display in Tanzania that were donated in Laois as part of Laois County Council's bike amnesty anti-dumping initiative.
LAST year Laois County Council organised an anti-dumping initiative and offered an amnesty for unwanted bicycles that brought in approximately 90 bikes from the public.
According to the council’s environment section, the initiative contributed to waste reduction and to supporting Frontline Bikes, a social enterprise that provides individuals with backgrounds in addiction, long-term unemployment and the criminal justice system with a pathway to recovery and employment through its bicycle mechanics training programme.
Once repaired, the bikes were donated to The Olive Branch for Children (TOBFC) in Tanzania and the Portlaoise school bike library. They enabled both international and local beneficiaries to gain access to much-needed transport and recreational facilities.
Having left Portlaoise last September, the donated bicycles eventually reached Tanzania in February.
In addition to the bicycles, tennis nets, rackets, balls, schoolbooks, medical supplies, arts and crafts materials and sports equipment were also donated by council staff, local sports clubs and schools. The Irish branch of TOBFC also provided further donations to support the initiative.
The Waste Enforcement Officer at Laois County Council Kim O’Meara said: “This project is a fantastic example of how waste prevention and social good can go hand in hand. By repurposing these bikes, we have not only diverted valuable resources from landfill but also provided people, both locally and internationally, with access to sustainable transport and new opportunities.”
Deborah McCracken from TOBFC said: “The children at Zion Home are having the time of their lives playing and cycling. The donations have truly made a difference in their lives and with your donation we have launched a program to help secondary students who are walking more than 10kms to school and back on a daily basis with bicycles to facilitate getting to school more easily”
The initiative aligns with the Laois Climate Action Plan, which commits the council to developing initiatives that support resource efficiency, waste minimisation, food waste prevention, and the circular economy across the county.
