The Black Unity Bike Ride (BUBR) has presented a cheque for £10,000 and cycling gears to the Vida Cycling Programme at Apegusu in the Asuogyaman District in the Eastern Region.
The money is to support the programme which is an NGO for aspiring female cyclists, a grassroots programme dedicated to making cycling opportunities accessible to young women, while empowering them.
The donation was described by the BUBR as the single and biggest contribution made to any cycling club in Ghana.
Founder of the BUBR, Londoner Tokunbo Ajasa-Oluwa, at the presentation ceremony at Apegusu, said the gesture is to offer hope to girls in the programme and to cushion Vida and her team to do more for the community and Ghana at large.
“We took about nine months for this fundraising and we, at BUBR and our collaborators, are glad we achieved this goal,” Mr. Ajasa-Oluwa said.
The tour, which was an inaugural one of Africa, consists of 500 kilometres of cycling across four days and destinations, including Cape Coast, Assin Manso, Takoradi and Akosombo to Apegusu.
“We are very proud to bring the Black Unity Bike Ride community to Ghana and support the Vida Cycling Programme. It is the first time for many of our participants, which is very special for them as part of the African diaspora.”
He said Ghana was chosen as the preferred destination due to how the country has positioned itself as home to diasporans.
Founder of Vida Cycling Programme Madam Vida Juliet Vivie said the gesture will create a massive impact in the lives of the 21 girls who are currently enrolled in the programme.
“Henceforth, Vida Cycling Programme will see positive strides through this donation,” she said.
The programme has been running since 1990 but has not yielded the desired impact due to lack of support and funding.
In all, 18 cyclists from the U.K, USA and the Middle East participated in the tour.
The Black Unity Bike Ride began as a charity in the UK in 2020 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. BUBR aims to encourage more Black people to enjoy cycling and prioritise their health and well-being.
