For many travelers, cycling is a hobby or sport, but across the world, bicycles are also changing lives. Harriet Akinyi joined Intrepid Travel’s Kenya Cycling Fundraiser, together with The Intrepid Foundation and World Bicycle Relief, to see firsthand how bicycles are uplifting individuals and communities in her Kenyan homeland.
In my community, there’s a common joke on how to identify a Luhya man: By his bicycle. And he might be holding a radio in one hand to entertain or inform him as he rides along dusty terrain under the hot African sun.
I’m half-Luhya and Luo (after the Maasai, the Luhya and Luo are the second and fourth largest ethnic groups in Kenya) and this is a familiar scene whenever I visit my ancestral home in Migori, in western Kenya. But bicycles are more than a vehicle here. My late grandfather often warned us to handle his bicycle with care—like many villagers, he believed a bicycle had its own spirit and insisted we treat his wheels with reverence. When someone acquired a new one, elders would bless it by sprinkling millet. Representing heritage and resilience, the grain is a symbol of success and longevity.
In East and Southern Africa overall, 30–50 percent of households own at least one bicycle; it’s the most accessible and affordable mode of transport. In Kenya, home to 54 million people and where 71 percent of the population lives in rural areas, the simple bicycle can remove barriers to education, health and livelihood opportunities. Recognizing this, Intrepid Travel’s non-profit arm, The Intrepid Foundation, partnered with World Bicycle Relief, one of its 52 global partners, to create a first-of-its-kind fundraising cycling trip in Kenya.
The goal? To provide bicycles to rural communities that need them most. “Together with Intrepid Travel, we’ve created a unique itinerary that combines adventure with impact.” says Biheng Zhang, General Manager of The Intrepid Foundation. “Through travel, we all have the power to see the world differently and contribute positively to the places we visit and the people who live there.” And that’s how I end up joining 14 participants from the US, Australia and New Zealand to see firsthand how increased bicycle ownership has changed lives in western Kenya.
Since partnering with World Bicycle Relief in 2023, The Intrepid Foundation has raised over AUD$279,000 (USD$183,000) to support WBR’s aims to deliver one million of their purpose-built Buffalo bicycles designed for “heavy loads on tough roads”. While some bicycles are donated, others are sold at an affordable rate through Buffalo Bicycles, WBR’s social enterprise, with profits supporting the organization’s philanthropic programs.
Though I don’t cycle—I have procrastinated learning how to ride—I hike alongside the group as they pedal across some of Kenya’s least explored landscapes. So while the group cycles through uncrowded Ruma National Park in search of the roan antelopes, I hike five miles (eight kilometers) through the hills and plains instead. Each traveler has raised AUD$2,500 (USD$1,600)—enough to fund 10 bicycles—before embarking on this eight-day, 87-mile (114-kilometer) bike ride starting from Homabay in western Kenya and ending in Kisumu on Lake Victoria.
“Girls walking long distances are more vulnerable to harassment and fatigue. Many drop out due to early pregnancy—up to 20 percent in some regions. A bicycle provides safety, cuts commute time, and reduces these risks.”
- Maureen Kolenyo, World Bicycle Relief, East Africa
Among the riders are Moira Collins, a retired IT professional from Connecticut in the US, cycling with her two sons, 28-year-old Conor Frydenborg and 26-year-old Chris Frydenborg. Moira began donating to World Bicycle Relief 12 years ago after learning about it from a colleague. “When I got an email about this Kenya cycling fundraiser in February, I sent it to my sons,” she tells me. “We had long talked about visiting Africa after I’d had a wonderful trip to South Africa. They were excited to not only see Kenya but to also make an impact.”
She’s equally excited to experience the other side of Kenya, beyond its highly marketed wildlife. “Americans think of safaris whenever they hear of ‘Africa,’ but this trip has shown us much more,” Moira tells me. “My sons are not bike riders, but love seeing what life is like in Kenya—national parks, incredibly warm people, and staple dishes like ugali, nyama choma (barbeque) and fresh fish which reflect the country’s diverse culture.”
As they ride through rural Kenya, Moira has been seeing just how essential bicycles are to rural communities. “In the US, we’re spoiled with multi-gear bikes”, she says. “These bikes don’t have those—and yet they’re tough. The people riding them are even tougher. It gave us a whole new appreciation for the power of a simple bike.”
World Bicycle Relief was founded in 2005 in response to the Indian Ocean tsunami after many communities suddenly lost their infrastructure, and the bicycle became a practical and efficient way of restoring access to essential services. Since then, World Bicycle Relief has distributed over 800,000 bicycles globally, trained 3,600+ mechanics, and set up 100+ Buffalo Bicycle shops, which provide spare parts as well as bicycles—impacting more than 4.4 million people globally.
At World Bicycle Relief’s Buffalo Bicycle local workshop in Kisumu, we meet the assemblers behind these smart Buffalo bikes. Designed for difficult rural terrain, the bicycles have reinforced frames, thick tires and high-performance brakes. The Kisumu facility employs 10 skilled assemblers who build up to 100 bicycles a day during peak periods. Each bicycle shipment arrives in 40-foot containers, holding 867 units. Over the years, the organization has relied on community feedback to ensure that the bicycle meets the local demand.
However, one of the major challenges is the cost to import bicycles into Kenya which makes purchasing them expensive. While each bike lands in Kenya at around USD$80, import duties inflate the price to USD$140–$150. The organization is lobbying the government to reduce these taxes, citing Zambia’s successful reduction from 25 percent to 10 percent, to make bikes more affordable.
Leaving Kisumu, our drive reveals lush farmland, sugarcane fields, roadside markets and maize plantations, a reminder of the beauty of my homeland.
Our destination is Mahola Mixed Secondary School in Mumias, 43 miles (70 kilometers) from Kisumu where we will be donating 100 bicycles.
Over 20,000 Buffalo Bicycles have been distributed to community health workers across Kenya. Home visits have increased by 45 percent, improving patient follow-ups and disease tracking, and in emergencies, the bicycles are used to transport patients.
Locals often joke with the Swahili phrase, ‘Mgeni njoo, mwenyeji apone’ meaning ‘Visitor, come, so the host may benefit’. It’s tied to a long-held belief that guests bring blessings. I’m heartened to see that most of the recipients are young girls.
“Girls walking long distances are more vulnerable to harassment and fatigue,” Maureen Kolenyo, World Bicycle Relief’s regional director for East Africa tells me. “Many drop out due to early pregnancy—up to 20 percent in some regions. A bicycle provides safety, cuts commute time, and reduces these risks.”
To date, over 40,000 bicycles have been distributed to students in Kenya. World Bicycle Relief partners with local education authorities, community leaders, and NGOs to identify schools most in need, focusing on areas with high dropout rates particularly for girls.
Rukia Sangi is a high-school sophomore who already has a Buffalo Bicycle. We arrive at her small mud-walled house topped with corrugated iron sheet, her Buffalo bicycle leaning against a tree after the five-mile (eight kilometers) cycle from school to home. We share lunch with the family as Sangi tells us how the cycle has impacted her life. “My performance used to be poor because I arrived late and missed classes,” she tells us. “Now, I get to school early, and I’m hopeful for better grades.”
At Kaunga Health Care, a remote clinic serving over 17,000 people, we see how bicycles have helped improve lives. Infrastructure is poor here, and many health workers struggled to reach patients—until the bicycles arrived. “We used to have trouble reaching expectant mothers and providing timely care to children,” says Charity Odhola, the clinic’s deputy.
To date, over 20,000 Buffalo Bicycles have been distributed to community health workers across Kenya. Home visits have increased by 45 percent, improving patient follow-ups and disease tracking, and in emergencies, the bicycles are used to transport patients.
According to Samuel Karani, Intrepid Travel’s East Africa general manager, fundraising trips like this have the power to reshape how travelers view bicycles. Looking ahead, Intrepid Travel plans to grow its connections with local partners, like World Bicycle Relief, and weave more meaningful experiences like the ones we’ve had into their upcoming trips.
“We see great potential in combining travel with fundraising,” he tells me. “Guests can contribute to causes they care about—before, during and after the trips. It’s a way of using travel as a force of good.”
I have to agree. I’ve seen first-hand how World Bicycle Relief is dismantling the mobility barriers that rural communities face every day, and how a simple bike can provide access to education, healthcare and economic empowerment. I can also see how travel, when paired with purpose, can bring meaningful change to communities, travelers, and be a genuine catalyst for connection, awareness and action.
****
Adventure.com strives to be a low-emissions travel publication. We are powered by, but editorially independent of, Intrepid Travel, the world’s largest travel B Corp, who help ensure Adventure.com maintains high standards of sustainability in our work and activities. You can visit our sustainability page or read our Contributor Impact Guidelines for more information.a
Harriet Akinyi is a Nairobi-based travel journalist with eight years of experience covering travel, culture and sustainable tourism in Africa. Passionate about storytelling and sustainability, her work has appeared in publications such as AFAR, Fodor’s, Skift, and Condé Nast Traveller.
