5) Description of initiative: Colombian armed and social conflict is caused by deep economic and social differences and also affected by narcotraffic and corruption. FHL (Fundación Horizontes de Libertad) has approached communities facing particular conflicts with a pedagogic talk about the benefits of bicycles. The purpose is motivating communities to use this alternative to other transport options as symbol of freedom and resistance. The use of the bicycle is the central element of our initiative. The bicycle has a lot of benefits for our physical and psychological health: it is good exercise, it is a cheap transport option, it is a symbol of the struggle against poverty, it is environmentally friendly and a tool to fight against the oil industry. However, the most important benefit is that the bicycle is an instrument of social inclusion and civic culture. Thanks to bicycle routes and bicycle lanes we have created a space of social inclusion and conflict resolution. These cultural and social encounters with participants from different sectors of society show us that there are more similarities than differences between human beings. Some conflicts (mainly those between young people) are solved through resistance tests, contests, competitions and showing solidarity, skills, mechanic ability etc. FHL helps people just out of prison to reincorporate into the society. We express the bicycle’s relationship with freedom with the following metaphor: “to ride on a bicycle you need: strength to push the pedals, balance to avoid falling and direction to arrive to your goal. A person just out of prison needs the strength to face a society that does not want to accept him again, balance to avoid committing crime again and a project of life to help him achieve his goals”.

6) Description of innovation: Thinking about the bicycle as a conflict resolution tool is very innovative. This initiative is different from other pedagogic proposals because the agents involved in the conflict are the protagonist of the solution. We do not invite the community to find a solution for their problems (it would generate resistance), we simply invite them to ride a bicycle and then the conflicts get solved thanks to the positive atmosphere generated by the activity. The dialogue pedagogy allow us to establish communication and the bicycle is a meeting point: an accident, a mechanic problem, a victory, fatigue, stop to drink or eat are perfect moments to develop feelings that generate solidarity, admiration and respect, essential elements for dialogue.

7) Delivery model: After encouraging the community to use the bicycle, we program a bicycle tour. We start the activity counting the bicycles available in the community, the owners willing to use them and the mechanical conditions. Then, members of the community repair them and distribute them. If there are not enough bicycles, FHL will provide them as a loan to the community. The destinations of our bicycle tours are conflictive communities or zones closed by the armed agents that are surprised by hundreds of people riding bicycles and celebrating life. We also have paramedics, mechanics and speakers who offer workshops about solidarity, cooperativism and environmental issues. Participants pay a symbolic registration fee to create a fund that covers the activity expenses.

8) Key operational partnerships: We develop special agreements with grass root organizations such as sport clubs, community boards, theatre groups and population groups (youth, women, men, indigenous). We create inter-institutional agreements that help us developing our project. - Government of Tolima: Allows us to reach distant communities through the Office of Community Development. - Trade Commision of Ibagué: Gives us funding to transport bicycles. - Indigenous Board of Tolima: Distributes bicycles in the indigenous communities. - Corporation Colombia: Helps us with the distribution of the bicycles and sponsors the initiative. - Edzon Ltda.: Is a health company that provides paramedic assistance.

Partnerships with international organizations: - Pedals for Progress: An American NGO that has donated FHL 1200 bicycles to develop social projects. - Bicycles for the World: Supports FHL putting us in contact with other organizations that work with bicycles as a sustainable and alternative to other transport options.

We also partner with other organizations and networks such as Cicloamerica, Red Movilidad Sustentable that help us to promote our experience and exchange information. In January 2006 we organized with Bicycle Action, Venezuelans Riding Bycicles (Biciaccion y Venezolanos en Bicicleta) a bi-national bicycle expedition that brought 23 persons from Colombia to Venezuela.

9) Financial model: The bicycles donated by Pedals for Progress are our basis. We offer them for rent to the participants that do not have a bicycle for the tours. We ask for a voluntary contribution that we use to replace pieces, refreshments etc.

          • Costs as percentage of income: -

          • Financing: The operation costs are covered by the participants’ registration fee for the tours and the support of our sponsors with refreshments, paramedics and speakers for the workshops. FHL and the community manage our finances together. Our goal is not generating profits, and if we do, we invest them in the next activities. We are designing a new project: The Bicycle Bank. The idea is loaning bicycles in the following terms: companies, education and state institutions would pay the initial 20% of the value, and the beneficiary would pay the rest with reasonable installments financed by the savings accumulated (30%) after changing the conventional transport system by the bicycle.

10) Effectiveness

          • Project outcomes: We can see the impact of the project in the levels of tolerance generated in the communities where we have developed activities and in the number of people that are now using a bicycle and the bicycle lanes. At the beginning FHL approached the communities, now the communities are asking us to program a new bicycle tour. Lot of people are using the bicycle lane; and not only riding a bicycle, also skating or walking. We have organized 115 bicycle tours, each one with between 200 and 400 participants. We have also organized campaigns to collect bicycles and to transform public spaces into bicycle lanes. Some communities are so motivated that have organized activities by themselves and we only participate as guests.

          • Number of clients in past year: We have organized 32 bicycle tours with a direct participation of 10,000 people during the last year. However, the bicycle tours not only involve the cyclists, they also involve sponsors, partners and fans. Back to their community, cyclists bring a different perception of the people and the social groups involved. At the same time, the communities visited during the tour are also influenced; generally cyclists generate affection and admiration feelings.

11) Scaling up strategy

          • Stage of the initiative: Start Up stage.

          • Expansion plan: Even though we have been operating for 4 years, we consider that we are starting. Because of the complexity of the Colombian conflict, we believe that we need to go beyond the local approach. Our plan for the next three years is expanding the use of bicycles as an alternative to other transport options and as a tool for conflict resolution creating a national “Bicycle bank” that will allow us to open new spaces for the development of our initiatives and, consequently, improve the quality of life of low income citizens.

12) Origin of the initiative: This project started spontaneously. I needed 30 bicycles for prisoners that worked as messengers in an extra-walls program. We contacted Ashoka Colombia and they put us in contact with Pedals for Progress. The American NGO was willing to support us with a container of 400 bicycles. We decided to bring the first 400 bicycles full of enthusiasm. We overcame some obstacles (transport, import issues…) but we faced some expenses that we could not afford (a ware house and repairing costs). Then is when we decided to collaborate with grass root organizations and we discovered the benefits of the bicycle. We have brought 3 containers donated by this organization from the United States that collects used bicycles and sends them to developing countries.

Contact Information:
Jose David  Toro
Ashoka Fellow
Psicologo Social Comunitario
Fundacion Horizentes de Libertad
(ONG)
Colombia