Dear Will,

Bikes Not Bombs has experience training mechanic fieldworkers and implementing bicycle start-up projects in developing countries in Central America, the Caribbean and Africa. We do not have a standardized curriculum, but we definitely have some best practices and lots of project experience. Feel free and contact me to discuss details.

Also, just to put this out for everyone- Bikes Not Bombs is developing a new start-up project in northern Uganda, with potential implementation beginning mid-year in 2011. We will be looking for a mechanic fieldworker for this project for a period of at least 6 months. The project will train local mechanics, provide bikes to 400 Village Health Workers, and establish a bike co-op workshop. Our ideal fieldworker would have bike shop experience, time spent living in Africa, experience organizing communities, practiced cultural sensitivity, and a track record of self-motivation and determination. Please share this far and wide, and contact me if you are interested to apply.

Peace and Justice,

David Branigan International Programs Director david@bikesnotbombs.org

1. Re: Resources for teaching bike mechanics in a third world country? (John Patterson)
2. Re: bikebike 2011 date (Scott TenBrink)

From: John Patterson john.patterson@me.com Date: November 2, 2010 3:51:49 AM EDT To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org Subject: Re: [TheThinkTank] Resources for teaching bike mechanics in a third world country? Reply-To: The Think Tank thethinktank@lists.bikecollectives.org

For Zambia I suggest contacting Zambikes (www.zambikes.org); a non-profit community-based operation doing great things across the country...

Regards, John ___________________________ John Patterson | VéloCity Bicycle Co-op | 204 S. Union St., Alexandria, VA 22314 | velocitycoop.org | +1 703-835-0699 | Mobile: +1 703-608-3660

On Nov 1, 2010, at 8:19 AM, michelle mahlik wrote:

Thanks for the question, Will - I'm also interested in teaching bicycle mechanics in Zambia, Africa, if anyone has experience there.

On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 7:38 PM, William Wedler w.wedler@gmail.com wrote:

Hi Thinktank list,

I have a request. I am helping a friend start up a bike collective of
sorts based out of an orphanage in northern India (about 2 hours north
of Delhi). He will be staying there for about two years and is
arranging for some bikes and tools to be brought over from the US.

My question is if anybody on this list has experience teaching bike
mechanics in a place like India, where the available tools may be
limited and where bikes are used on a much more utilitarian manner
than we are used to in the US. And if you don't have any experience,
would you be able to forward this request on to anybody who has? I
plan on contacting the village bike project for advice (just sending
them email, so not sure how to best get in touch). Are there any
people running projects in Mexico who may be able to help?

Specifically, I am asking for resources that could help in developing
a curriculum for teaching bike mechanics in a rural orphanage in
India. Any assistance would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Will

P.S. See the website to learn more about the bike project: http://www.kvbp.org/
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-- Michelle Mahlik

"To empathize is to civilize; to civilize is to empathize." ~ Jeremy Rifkin