World Bicycle Relief and CycloFemme Announce Community Partnership to Promote Women's Empowerment

CHICAGO - March 20, 2017 - PRLog -- World Bicycle Relief is proud to announce its Community Partnership with CycloFemme. The new partnership will promote women's and girls' empowerment locally and globally through the 6^th Annual CycloFemme Mother's Day Ride and The Power of Bicycles©.

World Bicycle Relief and CycloFemme share the belief that bicycles provide independence, self-empowerment and joy. They also believe that bicycling creates community and momentum- two forces that lead to positive personal and social change. By uniting and riding together, women's voices are amplified and women are empowered to change the world.

To celebrate the sixth annual Mother's Day ride, CycloFemme is challenging its community to tap into its socially driven, grass-roots origins to help create change for girls in Kenya. Historically, the bicycle has been a positive empowerment tool. In an effort to multiply this impact, riders are encouraged to add a fundraising component to support World Bicycle Relief, a global non-profit that designs and distributes high quality bicycles to students, health care workers and entrepreneurs in developing countries. Donations raised by CycloFemme participants will provide life-changing bicycles for girl students living in rural Kenya where distance is a barrier to education.

In Kenya and other developing countries, many factors contribute to girls dropping out of school in much higher numbers than boys: obligatory household chores, distance to school, sexual assault and child marriage. These barriers stand between young girls and bright futures. A high quality bicycle can remove these barriers, keep girls in school and keep them safe as they travel to school. World Bicycle Relief is committed to breaking down these barriers for girls, helping them achieve their educational goals and become change-makers within their communities and around the world.

This year, as riders celebrate CycloFemme worldwide, empowering themselves and one another, they will have the added benefit of sharing that same opportunity with girls in Africa. On Mother's Day Weekend, riders from around the world, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity or bicycle preference will share in the joy of cycling through community-led rides. The rides are self-initiated and participants have the option of creating an individual or group fundraising page to support girls in Kenya.

The cost of providing a bicycle to a student is $147, but donations of any amount will collectively add up and provide many life-changing bicycles for students in need. Together, CycloFemme riders have the potential to transform the lives of girls in Kenya who, with a bicycle, will ride into bright futures.

All funds raised will be matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor, doubling the number of bicycles provided for girl students. Registration will begin on March 14 at http://cyclofemme.com/wbr

This Mother's Day Weekend, participants will experience how good shared momentum feels. By going the distance together, we can put more bicycles into the hands of girls fighting for their education, empowering them through The Power of Bicycles©.

About CycloFemme:

CycloFemme is a Global Celebration of Women created to honor the past from the shoulders of those who stood before us, for the freedom to choose and the chance to wear pants. To celebrate the present with strength and courage, voices raised, moving together. To empower the future of women everywhere, the backbone of positive social change.

Together we believe that bicycles will empower women and girls to create change.

For more information visit: http://cyclofemme.com/wbr

About World Bicycle Relief:

Founded in 2005, World Bicycle Relief mobilizes people through The Power of Bicycles®. World Bicycle Relief accomplishes its mission by distributing specially designed, high quality bicycles through philanthropic and social enterprise programs. These purpose designed bicycles are built to withstand the challenging terrain and conditions in rural, developing areas. Entrepreneurs use the bicycles to increase productivity and profits. Students attend class more regularly and improve their academic performances. And, health care workers visit more patients in less time, providing better, more consistent care. World Bicycle Relief also promotes local economies and long-term sustainability by assembling bicycles locally and training field mechanics to service the bicycles. To date, World Bicycle Relief has delivered over 350,000 bicycles and trained over 1,200 field mechanics in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America. World Bicycle Relief is a registered nonprofit in the USA, Canada, U.K., Germany and Australia, and has assembly facilities in Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi and Angola.

For more information, please visit: http://worldbicyclerelief.org

Follow us @PowerOfBicycles and Like us at facebook.com/worldbicyclerelief

World Bicycle Relief Media Contact:

Global/USA Inquiries

Brooke Slezak

brooke@brookeslezak.com

press@worldbicyclerelief.org

Mobile: 917.689.6024