Tuesday 31 March 2009

Four uses for bicycles in Rwanda


Sacks of grass or rice or potatoes


The water seller


Carrying sacks of charcoal


Fetching firewood

Other uses include carrying pigs, goats or about a dozen chickens on the rear carrier, or delivering enormous loads of plastic pipes, always mounted crossways on the rack so that the pipes are sticking out some five feet each side of the bike. Potentially lethal for us as pedestrians if we are walking along the side of the road, and potentially even more deadly for the cyclist if a bus or lorry passes a shade too close!

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Dear Bruce,

I am Léonie, I am French, Congolese-born, living, teaching and studying (MA in education, gender and international developmentin the UK). I have just dscovered your blog I just want to say a big thank you and 'bravo!'. I have been looking everywhere, reading everything, researching everyday to prepare myself for my 'assessment day' tomorrow (8th April) at VSO in London (for the placement as education management advisor and I'll be based in Gikongoro), and believe me it is refreshing to read your blog! It is very informative, clear with amazing photos, but above all it is very funny! (I am right now at the library of the Institute of education, and people around me are wondering why I'm laughing on my own!). Please keep writing and send us more photos! (do you have any of Gikongoro?) Will all of you still be there in August/September? If I get the job (finger crossed) it would be a real pleasure to meet you all and learn from you.
Take care et à bientôt (peut-être).

Léonie