It has arrived!!

The bikes are there! The bikes are there! 
The container has arrived safe and sound in Nsobe, Zambia. What a miracle! Even with Covid-related delays and everything getting more expensive in this world, the bikes make it in good time and on budget. I can only say that this happened because of the kindness, help and prayers of people who supported this endeavour. 

• 278 adult bikes--picked up and dismantled thanks to blow torches, special tools and scraped knuckles!
• 38 kids bikes, 2 wheelchairs, parts, tools, spare frames and a couple of footballs packed tightly away!
• 3.5 years, multiple fundraisers and wine raffles!
• Approximately 300 facemasks each cut, sewn and sold!
• 3 kind bike shops, countless donors and strong bike packers!
• Prayer warriors, encouragers and kind hearted souls! 

I say this to remind you all that this could not have been done alone. I am so thankful. We are more powerful together.

Please celebrate with me. Please do not discount how you have helped and continue to help this project and the people in Nsobe. Thank you!! 

What's next you ask? 

Due to timing, the container will be unpacked in Feb 2022. At that time, we will bring in the trainer and start the bike shop. We will also allocate bikes for the ambulances and build the trailers to help people get to the clinic. The children's bikes will go to the school and we will allocate the wheelchairs and other miscellaneous equipment. 

Stay tuned for updates in 2022. Looking forward to the new year and new opportunities.

Matching donations!

Please help with the push to get our fundraising to where it needs to be. While we've been delayed shipping due to Covid, I hope to send the container this summer. I am also still in need of a handful of bikes, tools and spare parts. Please contact me directly if you have any to give. 

Click here to give. 

Or contact me at hopeignited@gmail.com

Masks for Bikes

Buy 2 of these high-quality, 100% cotton masks and all profits go to the Hope Ignited Bikes for Zambia project. These non-medical, reversible masks are breathable, have a nose wire and filter pocket. Elastic loops are comfortable around the ears. Available in Large Adult, Med Adult/Teen, Small Ages 5-9. Small size comes with elastic that goes around the head. The following styles are available in limited supply. Mix and match as much as you like. 

$30 CAD for 2 masks + shipping. Local pick up in Oakville, ON is also available. 

Email me at natasha@hopeignited.ca or use the email form to the right to contact me with your order details. Orders take 1-3 days before shipping or pick up. 

Care: It's suggested to machine wash in a delicates bag or hand wash. Hang to dry. 

Dancing Ponies in the Day and Night

Oh Canada Eh!

Bikes for Zambia

I Zebra Your Mask

Zambian Safari

Those Blueberries are Making me Hungry

Cheeky Cherry 

Orange you Glad you Brought Your Mask

Black on Black (cotton/linen blend)

Ride the Blue Wave 

Here Come the Funds!

2020 is off to an amazing start!! I got a cheque from Freedom Centre today for 2019 donations that totalled $3270.00!!

Yesterday I also got another $70.00 through individual donations.

That puts the total balance in the HP account to $5855 (since the container was purchased last summer). This is such an amazing answer to prayer and I'm so thankful that things are moving so quickly.

Here's how you can help.

Donate (use the DONATE tab for ways to give with or without a tax receipt)

OR

Hold a fundraiser (do your kids need volunteer hours? They could do a fundraiser and get some of their hours in--all kinds of ideas welcome)

OR

Give your talents, services or products? Got something awesome that could be raffled? Art, cleaning services, photo sessions, tax services etc. Anything you can think of.

Next goal: $11,145. to get to $17,000 for shipping and set up.

We've got all our bikes

Good news...the container is pretty much full. Bike collection is OVER! 

It's time to raise money to ship! If you can donate and would like a tax receipt, please go to The Freedom Centre and choose ZAMBIA BIKE PROJECT from the drop down. For other ways to donate, please visit the DONATE tab. 

Also collecting: spare parts, bike tools, sewing machines, voltage converter, laptops

Another big delivery

Today we loaded 73 bikes into the container. Thanks Dai and Matt who helped us load. Special thanks to Gears Bike Shop who've been donating their time, storage space and hard working hands to help out. I know there are a lot of people behind the scenes. There's still time to donate your bike. Drop it off at any Gears location across the GTA.

It's packing time!

The container is here and we are filling it up! This weekend we loaded approximately 75 bikes. This will be their last Canadian home before they travel overseas. Thanks to everyone who's helped the project get this far. 

Latest News

So happy to announce Hope Ignited's new partner--Gears Bike Shop! This is huge! Gears already has about 60 bikes for the project and has a huge network to get more. This is a amazing blessing! Bikes can also be dropped off directly at their locations! Click the picture to go to their site.

Arriving soon! Hope Ignited's container. I can't believe that after all these years I'm buying another container. She's arriving Friday, September the 13th. Good thing I'm not superstitious. I hope it's a pretty blue one like the picture. 

 

I've lost count as to how many bikes I have at home, but the official count will come soon when we pack them all in. I'm estimating about 100.

Bikes Bikes Bikes

It's been a while but the bikes have been coming in over the last few months. Here are some highlights. 

50 bikes, flattened and ready to go. 

Going to town, doin' the rounds. That's a big load. 

A few more including one that was just thrown out. 

A few more. 

Getting there but we have a lot more now. 

A few more. 

Myah agrees we're all doing a good job!

This is happening...!!!

Bike collection and raising shipping costs have started...and the Zambian community in Nsobe is excited. So am I!

The goal this summer will be to raise $4000 to purchase the container and collect 100 bikes. Right now, I'm putting bikes in my garage, but would love to be able to purchase the container, get it parked, and pack it up as bikes get collected. Here's a few pics of the kids saying thanks to our bike donors.

Please consider getting involved and being part of this great initiative. Contact me if you have bikes using the Contact form or click the Donate tab to help financially. You can also help get the word out by sharing this post (use the links below). Thanks!

Add caption

When was the last time you sat on your bike?

Do you have a bicycle rusting in your garage? In Canada, many of our bikes sit unused or worse, get simply thrown away. In Zambia, a bicycle can save a life, help people’s lives or give people a new dream.

Hope Ignited is happy to announce we're planning to send a second container to Zambia. This time the focus is on bicycles. In partnership with Nsobe Community School and Bicycling Empowerment Network (BEN), we hope to send about 500 bikes and convert the container into a mechanic’s workshop, creating jobs and sustainability. 

• We're going to help local people run a business. 
• We're going to give vocational skills to teenagers. 
• We're going to use the bikes for ambulances. 
• We're going to help kids get to and from school. 
• We're going to bring mobility to a community. 

That's just a few ideas. Do you want to be part of this "we"? You can. Stay tuned for opportunities to take part. For now, check out these links for more on our fantastic partners. 

Nsobe Community School

BEN (Bicycling Empowerment Network)

It may or may not be the end...

Who can say when is something finished or just on pause? Life has a funny way of bringing back to life things we thought were long gone. 

Since it was founded in 2009, Hope Ignited has been like a banner over many dreams and hopes. Sometimes mine,  sometimes others. While the project may have officially come to an end, our hopes and dreams don't, and you never know when they might sprout back to life. 

I'm back in Canada now. Trying to settle in, combat reverse-culture shock and reestablish my life. Looking back, I'm so proud of what we all did together, the hard work put into making things happen here and in Zambia, the perseverance it took on all sides to keep things going through many ups and downs. Here are some of the highlights of what we did together and who we helped: 

2009/2010

• Donated a laptop and plenty of children's educational software to the local rural school.
• Built a swing set and see-saw for the children
• Held a 2-day retreat for the local church focused on the God's love and getting to know Him

Sept 2011- early 2012.

• After a year and a half of gathering donations, we shipped a 20ft container from Canada to Zambia. It was filled with a combination of one-time donations, like clothes, and items for long-term projects, like sewing machines, music equipment and books
• For three weeks we distributed clothes to the community and gift bags to the school children
• With bicycles that came in the container, we were able to help four children  to get to school to reduce their walking time from hours (4-6) to minutes (45-60). We provided peer support to these kids and some continue to use their bikes today
  
• We started the knitting program and our ladies finished their first projects
• As part of an afterschool program, we opened one of the classrooms to the children so that they could have a safe environment for play and development
• We started a bible study once a week for all ages
• On the ground, "we" consisted mostly of Misheck and I--the project helped create local jobs and training
  
• We renovated an old room into an office/library that was open to the local children to come and have access to books that they would never see otherwise

2012-2013

For most of 2012 to early 2013, we focused on managing and fine-tuning our programs

• Our kids got better and more regular at attending piano and drum lessons
• We spent time reading to kids and helping older kids with their literacy skills in the library
• We had multiple, daily play sessions--for different ages and genders so that everyone could get a chance
• Misheck was able to spend more time coaching and mentoring the boys in the football program
• We converted the shipping container into a building that was intended to be a resource centre or a sewing school. It was beautiful
• Our knitting program thrived, not only with improved skills but with the ladies communicating together, helping each other and learning basic business skills
• My dad visited and while there I put him to work restoring the swing set for the kids

2013

The latter part of 2013 brought on some major change. I changed NGOs and thus changed the community I was working with. But change can lead to good things if we let it so here are the highlights. 

• It was the year of the bunny and income generation! As well as continuing with my original group of knitters, two new knitting groups were started so we all worked on the same project--little bunnies. These bunnies were sold in local shops and abroad. It also helped the ladies to learn more business skills and recognize local opportunities
• We started three English classes and brought on a local teacher to help with the beginner level. This generated a job and educational opportunities for adults. I taught the two advanced level classes

2014

• By this time it was good to see the knitting programs doing well on their own. Each time I would came back to Canada, I collected donations of needles, wool and other tools the ladies could use. This always boosted their income as they could sell the stuff made of Canadian wool at a higher price
• I continued to mentor and check in with the knitting groups but little was needed. Mostly these were opportunities to get to know what personal challenges they might be facing and pray with them or share wisdom
• One of my friends in Zambia was a highly skilled knitter so I organized classes to teach the ladies to read patterns. This was both a good opportunity for them to practice their English skills and take their knitting to the next level
• Conducted bi-weekly personal development sessions (a form of counseling) 
• Talent Revolution was born and launched in 2014. My desire was to see this business impact the Zambian workforce by teaching leadership skills and values. I spent time setting up this business, creating a web site, building  training modules and meeting potential clients. It was met with very positive feedback as many business owner's saw a great need for values and integrity training

 I want to thank you all again for all your support and encouragement over these years. It's good to see what we accomplished together and what seeds might still sprout up in the future. It's important never to give up on our dreams and while you have helped me ignite dreams in Zambia, I hope your dreams are also ignited wherever you are. God bless. Natasha