«Bikepreneur» is a short-term vocational training program for young people in Tanzania. In addition to bicycle mechanics, the curriculum also includes business founding and management as well as innovation. During the ten-month, free program, young people receive a solid foundation for a quick entry into the job market. The course combines theory and practice: a theoretical training block is followed by a six-month internship in bicycle mechanics to consolidate the theoretical knowledge in everyday working life.
The first 16 participants started the training program in April 2024. Instructor Däni Grüter taught the prospective bike mechanics twice for a month and a half at a time and is very satisfied: «When I repeated the theory from the first block with them, I noticed that the 16 young men and women made a lot of progress during their time on the job and combined theory with practice.» All graduates secured a follow-up solution; some were employed by the training company and Velafrica’s partner, ABC Bicycle Company in Arusha.
In 2025, 16 additional young adults attended the second training course. Thanks to their strong performance, two graduates of the first course were able to take over the bicycle mechanic training of their successors. All participants of the second course also successfully completed their training.
Focus on promoting women
Experience shows that the proportion of women in training programs for bike mechanics is low; in the «Bikepreneur» program, we are aiming for 40% participation by young women and girls. To ensure this goal, we are working with various local NGOs to raise awareness of the training program among girls and young women.
Facts & figures
Project active since April 2024
Project country Tanzania
Project partners
ABC Impact, Soma, Twende
Participants in the program 32
Made possible thanks to private donors and various institutions
Sustainable Development Goals
The «Bikepreneur» project has a direct impact on the following United Nations SDGs: 1, 4, 5, 13, 15.
