In 2021, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer of Oregon and Sen. Richard Durbin of Illinois  introduced the “Bicycles for Rural Africans Transport Act,” bill, which aimed to provide funding to promote rural access for communities through affordable, fit-for-purpose bicycles. Longtime supporter Durbin reintroduced the bill once again in 2025.

The bill supports rural communities’ sustainable access to critical services and opportunities, such as education, healthcare and livelihoods, as well as local mechanics, access to spare parts, reduction of social- and gender-based stigmas and community management of bicycle programs.

One out of every eight people across the globe—nearly one billion people—live in rural communities, far from the nearest paved road. Rural populations must walk along dirt tracks, sometimes for hours, to reach markets, health clinics, and schools. Alternatives to walking, like mini-buses and motorcycle taxis, are cost prohibitive for daily use. Without access to essential services and reliable transportation, they remain trapped in a cycle of poverty. This is particularly true for women and girls who face additional barriers.

For the past 20 years, World Bicycle Relief has championed rural transport through bicycles and low-cost, sustainable models that expand access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity. Through partnerships with NGOs, aid organizations, governments and the communities themselves, we’ve worked to scale programming in 21 countries around the world. 

The legislation calls for major attention to the often overlooked issue in Africa. Funding would exponentially increase the number of Africans with access to bicycles, whether that be community health workers, farmers, rural students, agricultural extension agents, or other community service workers without access to reliable transportation.

Thank you to Sen. Richard Durbin for working toward bicycle mobility in the regions that need it most.