Our vision
Velafrica’s vision is a world where all people can enjoy the benefits of bicycle mobility to improve their lives.
Collection and recycling
With the collection and the recycling of unused bicycles in Switzerland Velafrica is committed to the long-term and sustainable use of resources. A network of more than 300 collection points makes it possible to donate bicycles ithroughout Switzerland. Bicycle collections complement the service.
With over 40,000 bicycles collected annually, Velafrica is the largest bicycle recycling project in the world. Last year, 600 tons of metal were reused instead of being disposed of. By repairing bicycles instead of producing new ones, approximately 2,900 tons of CO2 were saved.
Velafrica has been in partnership with SwissRecycle since 2025. Together, we are committed to a functioning circular economy in Switzerland.
Integration and commitment
In Switzerland, work related to bicycles empowers unemployed people, provides educational content for young people, and is a meaningful activity for people in the penal system. When processing donated bicycles, Velafrica can count on a nationwide network of social institutions. Over 30 partner organizations repair the used bicycles or process them into spare parts.
Bicycle hubs
By exporting recycled bicycles, we are not only promoting bicycle mobility, but also social entrepreneurship. The exported bicycles are distributed to five bicycle centers and four bicycle shops. This creates local jobs in workshops, sales, and administration. Velafrica helped establish the five bicycle centers, which serve as hubs for bicycle sales and repairs, training, and jobs related to bicycles.
Mobility, jobs, vocational training
Our five large partner organisations in Africa act as competence centres for everything bike related. Through their efforts, access to bicycles is improved and the population is able to travel in an environmental and healthy way. They promote vocational training through apprenticeships and create income opportunities. Small local businesses also benefit from bike hubs as bicycles can transport goods faster and more easily, supporting business growth.
Partnership on equal terms
We work with our partners according to business criteria, which means that they order the desired models from us before each export. We sell the bikes at a low cost after they have been made operational in Switzerland. In this way, we aim to promote sustainable social, ecological, and economic development, because donated goods cannot create sustainable bike cycles— if the donations stop, they collapse.
Social entrepreneurship
Our partners are free to set their own prices for on-site sales. Prices vary depending on the model, but also on regional price levels. Our partners use the proceeds from bicycle sales and repair work to finance their jobs, set up branches, and drive their further development. This gives even more people access to a bicycle. And even in remote regions, bicycles can be brought in for repair.
Investments are also being made in the sport of cycling: for example, mountain bike trips for young people, local bike races, and charity events are being made possible. In addition, they are implementing social cycling projects such as the «Bike to School»- program and projects to promote women.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Through the recycling of bicycles, the training of young people, and mobility programs such as «Bike to School», our work has a direct impact on ten of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Find out here how we are helping to achieve the UN’s goals by 2030 by promoting bicycle mobility.
