The World Olympic Athletes Association (WOA), an organization recognized by the International Olympic Committee, announced that the “Yo Impulso” Foundation, led by the Costa Rican cyclist Andrey Fonseca, will receive the support of $ 5,000 from the WOA to develop its project and donate 500 bikes in 2021 to minors in different areas of the country.
The Foundation has already given and delivered bikes to 86 boys and girls from the Cabagra indigenous territory, located in an area of Buenos Aires in Puntarenas.
The Cabagra Indigenous Territory is one of the four Bribris indigenous territories of Costa Rica. It is located in the canton of Buenos Aires, province of Puntarenas and borders the also Bribri Indigenous Salitre Territory.
A Christmas with 86 bicycles that benefit the students of the Yuavin, Bikakla, Bajo los Mollejones and Cartago educational centers in Buenos Aires during 2021. However, everyone’s help is required to reach this goal or even exceed it.
More help is needed
That is why the Foundation makes a call for all people or private companies to join in donating cash or disused bicycles for these minors in need. “We continue to collect new bikes, second-hand or even in bad condition, we take care of repairing them if possible. They can also help with money to buy the bicycles, for the goal in 2021 is to exceed 500 donations”, Fonseca stated. For now, they focus on the bike being a mountain bike, this due to the terrain in which the minors must circulate.
“We would like to take bikes to places where they have never been, there are areas where children have never seen a bike. We are working together with the Ministry of Education by them giving us the information of which are the regions with the highest school dropouts so as to prioritize these areas”added the Tico Olympic cyclist.
Adapted to the conditions
Depending on the region, the Foundation will determine what type of bike it requires. As far as maintenance is concerned, the donation will include a stock of spare parts and they will offer training to two or three people from the community who will be delegated as official bike mechanics in case of any inconvenience such as a flat tire, says Fonseca.
“We are also looking for agreements with universities to send students to verify if the use that is given is correct and evaluate what aspects should be improved to ensure that the aid is well managed by the community,” he said.
If you want to donate a bicycle, you can do so through the Yo Impulso Foundation Facebook or Instagram accounts or by calling 8400-8181.
