For more then a year SONADEI has been very busy working to help raise funds for our Cape Verde Bicycle Project. Ross, our partner in the Peace Corps, has been pushing the local government hard to ensure that our bicycle race happens in July. For more background information about this project please go here.

                               
                           Helmets were bought.                                                                 And helmets were shipped!


                                                                        Posters were posted.


                                                                        And a new road was built.


                                      Ross and SONADEI are working on new projects together, stay tuned!

Watch this page!

We will post an update again soon after the race with a full review and new images and video!

- The SONADEI Team

  - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Our new Cape Verde Bicycle Organization (CVBO) project allows us to support cycling across the world! The goal of our company is to help spread a positive and active lifestyle. We give back to our community by donating a portions of all our sales to the American Cancer Society, and the National Forest Foundation. Apart from these donations we have taken steps to support the growth and awareness of cycling in Cape Verde, the island Republic located off the west coast of Africa. The country consists of ten islands (and several islets) located roughly 500 miles off the coast of Senegal in Western Africa.

We are focusing our support on the island São Nicolau.

  Africa                                                          Cape Verde                                               São Nicolau

To help us with this project we have partnered with a member of the Peace Corps. Ross Guberman from New York is currently in his second year of volunteering with the Peace Corps. You can read Ross's blog here: Trials and Tribulations.

"My main function as a volunteer here is working with Parque Natural Monte Gordo , one of two national parks that are being funded by the United Nations. As Peace Corp volunteers, many of us have secondary projects aside from our main work. Outside of my work for Monte Gordo, I have held English classes for my community in Cachaço, organized a children’s soccer tournament, and conducted trash cleanup campaigns in various communities. I am most excited about organizing a Bicycle Safety and Awareness event for the island."

"During a weekend, two separate bike races will be held in the two main towns of the island, Ribeira Brava and Tarrafal. These bike races will be organized and sponsored by the Camara Municpal of each conchelo (and perhaps along with other local organizations such as the Centro de Juventude and ETMA).  The race in R. Brava will go from the town center to Juncilhno and back.  In Tarrafal, the race will go from town center to Praia Branca and back. It is my wish that the two winners receive new bikes."

"The need for this project stems from recent bicyclists being killed by motorists and from children dieing after falling off their bikes without helmets. Further, as the prices of oil soar and it becomes more expensive to travel by public transport, the bicycle is becoming a more viable option of travel for many of the island inhabitants. Thus, it is important now to provide information about how to be safe while riding and how to maintain a bicycle."

"I hope that with the visibility of the bike races and with the monthly bike repair workshops, those who currently bike ride will be encouraged to organize together for more events, which in turn may spur more locals to take up bike riding.  Further, I hope that drivers on the island will become more aware that they must share the road with bicyclists thus increasing their safety. "