Lameck, a 22-year-old from the Kafue District in Zambia, completed his schooling in 2016 but had no hope for the future as his father was unable to sponsor his tuition for college or university. He become very despondent as he struggled to find work after graduating.
In 2017, a local primary school, located 3km from Lameck’s house, was selected to receive bicycles as part of World Bicycle Relief’s education programming. The Bicycle Supervisory Committee (BSC) saw Lameck’s plight and nominated him to join WBR’s mechanics’ training course. He is now the school’s dedicated bike mechanic and one of WBR’s youngest mechanics in Zambia.
As a bicycle mechanic and member of the BSC, Lameck received a Buffalo Bicycle along with a toolkit to fix and maintain bicycles at the school. He engages in monthly maintenance of the bicycles and undertakes any repairs that need to be done. He also engages the parents of the beneficiaries to remind them of the important role that preventative maintenance has in prolonging the lifespan and efficiency of the bicycle.
“I have benefited from this job in that it supports me financially. From the money that I get I am able to buy some food, clothes, and talktime, among other things,” says Lameck. On average he earns K300 (approximately USD27) per month from the work he does at the school.
When he is not repairing bicycles at the school, Lameck uses his Buffalo Bicycle to volunteer at a local clinic, helping with the distribution of medication to schools and conducting sensitization on malaria and vaccinations in the community. His bicycle also helps support his household’s income as his father uses it to deliver chickens to the market.
“Over the last year, I have become more experienced with bicycle repairs. I can fix any problem on a Buffalo and other bicycles. Most importantly, I have learned how to interact with different people and how to serve people in a more practical way,” adds Lameck.
Lameck hopes that with the money he can save, he will one day be able to study a course in Environmental Health.
