When we arrived at Sphiwe’s home one morning in July, it was just past sunrise and drizzling. She had already been up for hours, completing her chores before getting ready for school. 

Today, she would receive a Buffalo Bicycle. 

The soft-spoken 14-year-old told us that she typically woke at 3 a.m., and her 9 km walk to school took 2.5 hours. But the extra sleep wasn’t what excited her about the time she would save with a bicycle. Instead, Sphiwe looked forward to arriving on time for class, attending group study sessions and spending more time with friends. 

“This will motivate me to work extra hard,” she said, telling us she hoped to become a doctor one day.

Standing off to the side, her mother, Mercy, smiled widely. 

A single parent with five other children, Mercy struggles to support her family with odd jobs. There are days when they go hungry because of a lack of income. She regrets that her oldest children all dropped out of secondary school and looks to Sphiwe to lift them out of poverty.

“If Sphiwe gets educated, it means the struggles we face in our household will lessen,” Mercy said. “We won’t be the same. There will be some change.”

The rest of the family will also benefit from Sphiwe’s Buffalo. Her mother says she plans on using it on the weekends to expand her search for work, improving all of their lives.

“Starting today, I am very happy that my child has received a bicycle!” Mercy said. “I would be dancing everywhere!”

Sphiwe dances and sings with her friends later that day as they wait to receive their Buffalo Bicycles.

She and her mother continue to dance and laugh as they sign the Bicycle Supervisory Committee’s contract and accept the bike. Then Sphiwe climbs on and pedals around the schoolyard with her classmates, including Pamela, who received her bike the year prior. 

In addition to helping her and her family, Sphiwe also sees the bigger picture – how access to education can help girls everywhere.

“Girls go through all sorts of abuse if they are not educated,” she tells us. “So when they get educated, it helps them live better lives, as they are able to take care of themselves.”

Hours later, as the sun sets, Sphiwe sits down with us for one last interview. She’s quiet, but even after the long day, seems to have a new energy about her.

“Today, I am very happy.”