With the objective of promoting sustainable means of transportation, the EPM Foundation delivered more than 2,000 bicycles to students in Medellín, through the Freedom project in alliance with World Bicycle Relief (WBR).
The initiative also had an educational component in which the beneficiary students were trained in socioemotional skills, road safety, field mechanics and especially in education for sustainable development.
In addition, the bicycle was delivered with a helmet, a vest, LED lights, and a tire pump, a multipurpose wrench tool, and a safety glove.
Social Outreach
Vivian Puerta Guerra, Executive Director of the EPM Foundation, highlighted that with this initiative they generate a great social impact and make a significant change in the lives of the students.
“In this way they will be able to travel at no cost to finish their studies, which in turn represents an economic relief for their families,” she said.
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In addition, in agreement with the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana (UPB), a group of university women manufactured and customized their own wooden bicycles.
It is worth noting that they were chosen based on a data intelligence study conducted by the Higher Education Agency of Medellin, Sapiencia (for which they receive scholarships), which showed who had a high risk of dropping out of their educational process due to lack of resources for transportation.
According to information from the Secretariat of Mobility of Medellín, women commute more times during the day than men. Walking trips, for example, account for 34% of all trips made in the city. Of these, 19.25% are made by women.
