50 bicycles for Matambanhama, Moatize

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50 bicycles for Matambanhama, Moatize

3:10 CAT | 01 Dec 2020

Photo courtesy: Vale Moçambique

The ‘Go by Bike’ project will cover more than 1,800 families

On Thursday, November 26, Vale Moçambique delivered the first batch of 50 bikes to the Matambanhama community in Moatize. The donation comes as part of the mobility project “Go by Bike” [‘Vai de Bike’], a partnership between Vale and Mozambikes.

The project promotes mobility so that people can more easily reach the health post, market, school, machamba or even the city of Moatize.

In all, more than 1,800 bicycles will be offered to 1,800 families from nine local communities in Moatize district, with the communities of Ntchenga, Mphandue, Phonde, Catete, Calambo, Cateme and Cateme Sede next in line.

In addition to donating bicycles, the project also includes a small business dimension benefitting around 15 young people through the creation of Bike Business workshops. Three workshops have already been installed in Matambanhama, creating business opportunities in the maintenance, repair and accessories markets, as a way of helping the community to keep their bicycles in good condition.

During the delivery of the first batch of bicycles to the community of Matambanhama, Moatize District Administrator Maria Torcida said it was an excellent initiative for communities a long way from the city.

“This means of transport will meet a need to arrive at destinations earlier. It is up to the recipient population to conserve their environment, as this is a project for you, and through which you can more easily get a job,” Maria Torcida said.

Vale Moçambique representative Francisco Mbebe explained that “this project is part of Vale Moçambique’s Sustainability Policy, in line with its support for local development in the regions” where Vale operates.

“The bicycles are subsidised by Vale Moçambique with a direct (minority) stake in the acquisition from the beneficiaries. We hope the programme will significantly improve the families’ lives, expanding their access to different locations,” Mbete said.

Nelson José Sandulane, a representative of beneficiary families, praised the initiative. “We walked very long distances to reach the hospital, but with a bicycle the time to reach the city of Moatize will be much shorter. In addition, this means will also facilitate the transport of goods we sell in the city,” he said.

Under the motto ‘Grow and Evolve Together’, Vale Moçambique hopes the programme will further strengthen its relationship with the communities where it operates. A relationship based on transparency.

Source: Vale Moçambique / Press Release