Bikes, Skills, and Life-Changing Journeys
Bikes to Malawi
Africycle, based in Malawi, is one of Re-Cycle’s newest African partners. We began working together in 2024, and in just over a year, they’re already seeing huge benefits from the 1,010 Re-Cycle bikes — plus tools and spare parts — we’ve sent so far.
These bikes are now helping people in remote communities get to school, reach markets, earn an income, and stay connected.
Bikes to Malawi
Bikes to Malawi
In July 2025, our Director, Charlotte, and Warehouse Manager, Mark, travelled to Malawi to see the impact first-hand. They spent a week in the Zomba region, visiting places where Re-Cycle bikes are making a real difference.
One of Africycle’s most powerful initiatives is its microloan scheme, which allows low-income families to buy a bike and pay it off over four to five months. This means that, even for those who can’t afford a bike upfront, life-changing transport is still within reach. The scheme is run by a team of local “bike agents” — all women — who work in rural areas where a bike can truly transform daily life.
Bikes to Malawi
Teresa’s Story
Teresa has been an Africycle agent since 2017. She lives in Zomba, runs her own cotton business, and uses her bike — bought through Africycle — to reach more customers. As an agent, she earns commission and a small bonus for every bike she sells. She travels from shop to shop, asking if anyone needs a bike on a loan basis. Once she has around 15 customers, she brings them to Africycle to choose a bike, start the payment plan, and set out on new journeys.
Teresa told us about one of her customers, Haroon, a 20-year-old student whose family couldn’t afford to buy him a bike outright. Through the microloan scheme, they were able to get him a bike to travel the 7km to school. Walking used to take Haroon 1.5 hours each way, forcing him to get up at 4am. Now, the journey takes just 20 minutes, he can start his day later, and he has more time to study, play football, and enjoy his evenings. His younger siblings also use the bike when he’s home, meaning the benefits ripple through the family.
Building Skills for the Future
Africycle has a dedicated team of six mechanics who repair and rebuild the bikes once they arrive at the warehouse. Working every weekday, they generate extra income for Africycle by selling refurbished bikes and carrying out small repairs for customers.
During the visit Mark spent part of the week training the team, covering topics like hydraulic brakes, wheel truing, and other tips and techniques to help them expand their skills. The sessions were a real success — every mechanic gained new knowledge in areas they hadn’t been trained in before.
Passing on skills in this way is invaluable. One mechanic summed it up perfectly when he told Mark:
“You can send as much money as you want, but knowledge is the greatest gift you can give us.”
Bikes to Malawi
Why It Matters
Malawi’s stunning landscapes are matched only by the determination of its people. But without affordable, reliable transport, access to education, jobs, and healthcare can be a daily struggle. A bike changes that — and through Africycle, your donated bikes are helping people create brighter, more independent futures.
This trip showed us exactly why we do what we do.
Bikes to Malawi
🚲 Got a bike you no longer use? Donate it to Re-Cycle and help change lives: www.re-cycle.org
Bikes to Africa
🎥 Want to see more from our trip? Check out our Malawi videos on YouTube: Re-Cycle YouTube Channel
