These were given to them by the World Vision (WV) Ghana, under its Bicycle Education Empowerment Program (BEEP). The program is a collaboration between WV Ghana, its Italian counterpart and the World Bicycle Relief in the United States (US), with funding from Mondelez International, Australia.

Mr. Andrew Ofosu-Dankyi, Education Technical Programme Manager of the WV Ghana, said this bring to 4,900 the number of bicycles distributed since, last year.  He said 3,000 of these went to school children in the Kassena-Nankana District in the Upper East Region while 1,820 were made available to pupils in the Nkwanta South District of the Volta Region.

He added that the goal was to enhance mobility and accessibility of school children to school.

It is also targeted at helping to address the problem of child labour by keeping children in the classrooms. Mrs. Thelma Thompson, Project Manager, Cocoa Life Program of WV Ghana, spoke of the setting up of a committee to closely monitor the use of the bicycles to achieve the intended outcomes.

Representatives of the chiefs, youth and women groups, the cocoa life farmers’ society, parent teacher association and a bicycle repairer are serving on the committee. Mrs. Thompson encouraged the beneficiary children to be inspired by the intervention to make the most of the opportunity and live their academic dreams.

The chief of Motokrodua, Nana Owuahene Acheampong, applauded WV Ghana and its partners for the support.