Sabira Charlesworth didnB次元官网网址檛 anticipate a new African penpal when her daughter Hannah embarked on a B次元官网网址榞ap yearB次元官网网址� adventure.

In January, Hannah, an Oak Bay High grad of 2017, headed for Malawi through Lattitude Global Volunteering Canada.

Now settled in a village called Mlowe, Hannah fundraised before she left and pays school fees, medical fees and like for some children in the village B次元官网网址渨ithout electricity and running water where people donB次元官网网址檛 have much of anything,B次元官网网址� said mom Sabira Charlesworth.

B次元官网网址淲hen she leaves, that goes,B次元官网网址� said Sabira, at home in Oak Bay. Hannah sought a more sustainable option to leave a legacy behind, and Sabira renewed a search sheB次元官网网址檇 started months earlier, reconnecting with the Victoria chapter of Bicycles For Humanity.

Led by Chris and Linda Wille and John Robertson, the volunteer organization sends unwanted bikes to developing countries, supporting grassroots projects that improve access to healthcare, education, water, food, and employment.

Sabira posted a call-out for bicycles on social media and the donations started pouring into their Oak Bay yard. She heard tales of bikes, and came across people with their kidB次元官网网址檚 first bike in storage. The emotional attachment melted away by the opportunity to provide critical transportation for someone else.

B次元官网网址淵ou hear stories about the bikes, and you hear about other resources in the community. It was a way to connect with your community,B次元官网网址� Sabira said.

The 10th B4H Victoria shipping container landed earlier this month and six of those bikes, through Africycle run by Canadian Ben Voss, made the ferry ride to Mlowe where they arrived on Sunday, June 3. There Mlowe Community Day Secondary School of about 150 students lends them out to those students travelling furthest to school.

B次元官网网址淣ow there are 12 kids making their way to school,B次元官网网址� Sabira said.

Weeks earlier, while Chris and Linda Wille loaded up a couple truckloads of bikes, a couple of youngsters up the street came by and the organizers recognized them. Their mother, Jan Achtem, is a teacher at 脡cole Willows elementary who led her class to collect 50 bikes for the same organization last year. The adopted boys also happen to hail from Ethiopia.

Achtem also dropped by a book published in 2015 by a then Oak Bay neighbour. The Red Bicycle: The Extraordinary Story of One Ordinary Bicycle (2015) by Jude Isabella with illustrations by Simone Shun outlines the tale of one such bike. The nonfiction picture bookB次元官网网址檚 the main character is a bicycle that starts its life owned and ridden by a young boy. Leo, treasures his bicycle and calls it Big Red. When he outgrows Big Red, Leo decides to donate it to an organization that ships bicycles to Africa. Big Red has quite the adventure on the African continent.

Sabira now corresponds via Messenger with a teen from the day school. B次元官网网址淓ven though heB次元官网网址檚 not a recipient of a bike, heB次元官网网址檚 so grateful,B次元官网网址� Sabira said.

Visit to learn more about the local chapter of Bicycles For Humanity. Visit / to learn more about that organization. To drop off bikes in Oak Bay, find Sabira Charlesworth on Facebook or email bikes@bellacoola.com.