Measuring Our Impact
At World Bicycle Relief, we believe that all answers are found in the field. Through the use of participatory methods, we capture data and analyze the results not only to demonstrate where your money goes, but also to help us continuously improve our programs and our Buffalo Bicycles.

Our dedicated strategic information and innovation team, based in each of our countries of operation, work extensively with our end users and program participants to measure the impact of our bicycles and programs in the communities we serve.

We measure our impact because:
  • We believe our supporters deserve to see the powerful impact of their gifts.
  • The information and feedback from the communities we serve, collected by our specialists and implementing partners in the field, help us design innovative programs that solve problems faced by people in rural areas due to a lack of mobility.
  • By evaluating the results of our programs, we are able to raise awareness of the challenges faced, tell stories of change, determine our impact, and align our work to international development priorities, such as the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
  • We aim to educate national and global policymakers about the cross-cutting power of mobility in improving livelihoods and reducing poverty. A bicycle is a valuable tool that helps people achieve more in all areas of their lives.

World Bicycle Relief continuously seek ways to improve mobility and access to opportunity for people around the world. We rely on data from the field to define our programs and influence others to build mobility into their policies and programs.

Target Outcomes

Increased mobility can have far-reaching effects on individuals and communities, but there are a few specific outcomes that drive our programs:
  • Decreased travel times
  • Increased attendance in school
  • Improved academic performance 
  • Increased delivery of medicines and preventative care
  • Increased access to markets
  • Increased income for farmers and entrepreneurs

We have a unique opportunity to study key topics related to empowerment and mobility. With positive results, the policy implications will be broad.

Nishith Prakash
Lead Study Researcher
University of Connecticut
Success metrics

Our field teams actively engage with our partners, riders, and mechanics to assess whether our programs achieve the intended outcomes. We measure our impact through:

Performance

Regular monitoring of overall program usage and individual attainment before and after receipt of the bicycle provide valuable data about the performance of our programs.

Accountability

By empowering Bicycle Supervisory Committees (BSCs) to design and monitor their own programs, the community and bicycle recipients assume responsibility for the outcomes.

Durability

We evaluate trends related to the durability of our Buffalo Bicycles as well as the cost of ownership and access to spare parts. Learnings from the field inform product development and improvements.

Sustainable impact

We review baseline data (before the bicycles are received) through endline data (at the conclusion of the project) and monitor all aspects of our programs to make adaptations as needed and ensure long-lasting, sustainable impact.