Backroads pledges $40,000 in matching grant funds during July’s fundraising campaign

Chicago, IL – Backroads, the world’s leading active travel company, and World Bicycle Relief are joining forces again during the month of July to help deliver the power of bicycles to students in need. With a generous match grant of $40,000, Backroads encourages others to contribute to World Bicycle Relief’s July fundraising campaign, Wheels in the Field: Zambia, The Next Generation, and help reach the goal of providing 3,200 bicycles for the next generation of students in Zambia.

Over 4 million children live in poverty in Zambia, and more than 375,000 children in rural regions are not enrolled in school. For rural students, a common and significant barrier to accessing education is distance. Students often face long, exhausting walks over difficult terrain. For girl students, who are also required to perform hours of chores in the morning, a long walk proves even more challenging. Students often arrive late and tired and academic performance suffers, if they manage to stay in school at all.

Backroads’ match grant to World Bicycle Relief will have a direct and immediate impact on the lives of students in Zambia. A 2012 Education Report highlighted that access to a high-quality bicycle dramatically changes educational outcomes. Students with bicycles increase attendance by 28% and academic performance by 59%.

“Backroads’ involvement with World Bicycle Relief parallels our efforts to promote the bike, not only as a recreational tool, but also as a powerful agent of change for students in rural developing regions worldwide,” said Backroads Founder and President Tom Hale. “Supporting World Bicycle Relief’s July campaign speaks to the core of what we believe in as a company.”

World Bicycle Relief has delivered over 50,000 bicycles to students in Zambia since 2009. Wheels in the Field: Zambia, The Next Generation will support World Bicycle Relief’s continued commitment to provide more bicycles and brighter futures for the next generation of Zambian students.

“Together, we can go further,” says Katie Bolling, development director at World Bicycle Relief. “That’s the power of our relationship with Backroads. We’re truly grateful that Backroads not only believes in our work, but has committed to real change by putting bikes in the hands of students who need them most.”

Learn more about Wheels in the Field: Zambia, The Next Generation and how your gift can go twice as far thanks to the generosity of Backroads: worldbicyclerelief.org/next-generation

About Backroads
Backroads was founded in 1979 by Tom Hale and has been in business for more than 38 years. The company hosts thousands of guests, 75% of whom are repeat guests or referrals from past guests, in hundreds of locations across the globe. Backroads is a founding member of the Adventure Collection. For more information, please visit backroads.com or call 800-462-2848.

About World Bicycle Relief
Founded in 2005, World Bicycle Relief mobilizes people through The Power of Bicycles®. World Bicycle Relief accomplishes its mission by distributing specially designed, high-quality bicycles through philanthropic and social enterprise programs. These purpose-designed bicycles are built to withstand the challenging terrain and conditions in rural, developing areas. Entrepreneurs use the bicycles to increase productivity and profits. Students attend class more regularly and improve their academic performance. And health care workers visit more patients in less time, providing better, more consistent care. World Bicycle Relief also promotes local economies and long-term sustainability by assembling bicycles locally and training field mechanics to service the bicycles. To date, World Bicycle Relief has delivered more than 350,000 bicycles and trained over 1,700 field mechanics in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. World Bicycle Relief is a registered nonprofit in the USA, Canada, U.K., Germany and Australia, and has assembly facilities in Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Angola.

For more information, please visit: worldbicyclerelief.org
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