Video: World Bicycle Relief launches Christmas - Power of Bicycles campaign

World Bicycle Relief has today launched a Christmas 2014 campaign called Power of Bicycles, giving you the chance to help transform the lives of a people in the developing world through the gift of a bicycle. And with donations matched, if you gift enough to pay for one bicycle, you'll be helping two people get mobile.

The charity has produced a short film telling the story of 12-year-old Tamara, an orphan who lives in Zambia with her grandmother, and what receiving a bicycle means for her.

The organisation says that Tamara “has a simple life, but not an easy one. While the sun rises, she builds a fire, fetches water, washes clothes and prepares breakfast before making the 2.5 mile walk to school.

“This year, Tamara received a Buffalo Bicycle along with 100 other students and teachers at Kabulonga Primary School. Now she can get to school more easily and safely, saving valuable time and energy ready to learn and build a future.”

It adds: “It costs just £95 to put a bicycle into the hands of a school child like Tamara so for the price of new set of tyres you give a Buffalo Bicycle this Christmas and change a life. Not only that, but anything you can give before the end of the year will be matched.”

More information is available on the website of the charity, which was founded by SRAM vice-president FK Day in 2005 and this year distributed its 200,000th bicycle.

“Each one of those bikes represents a life changing new beginning for a school child, a healthcare worker or an entrepreneur who can now travel further, save time and carry heavy loads,” the charity says.

“This major milestone is all thanks to our incredible supporters and together we’ve been able to mobilise people in the world’s poorest communities who rely on bikes to get to school, receive healthcare and build their livelihoods,” it adds.

According to World Bicycle Relief, its Buffalo Bicycle “is the result of many years of product development and field testing and is strong, durable and simple to repair as well as being compatible with locally available spare parts. The Buffalo isn’t just a bike, it’s a tool for cultural and economic empowerment.”