Free refurbished bikes for Indigenous students new to Winnipeg
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Posted May 10, 2020 4:41 pm.
WINNIPEG (CITYNEWS) – Getting around Winnipeg just got a little easier for some of the city’s new Indigenous students.
Indigenous youth who move to Winnipeg for school are now eligible for new bikes to help them move about the city as they pursue their studies.
It’s all part of the Cycle Indigena WPG program, organized by the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council.
“The kids are really excited,” said Leah Ferguson of the Manitoba Aboriginal Sports and Recreation Council. “This COVID time is the perfect time to give them something to get out of the house.
“The idea is that it’s supposed to help Indigenous individuals in communities not only in sports and rec but in their social development metrics of employability and education.”
The refurbished bikes are purchased from the Winnipeg Repair Education and Cycling Hub, then given to First Nations students who are new in town.
The program provides them with mobility and independence in a new city, while also teaching them the basics of bike maintenance.
“It’s really hard to pursue any education if you always feel like an outsider,” said Ferguson. “So I just think in order to improve people’s education, especially for the young kids that go to high school here, it’s just a shame that it would be a barrier.”
The group has around 20 bicycles to give away this summer, fewer than the number of applicants to the program. Ferguson says the students’ transportation needs will be the main factor in deciding who gets the bikes.
She also hopes giving these Indigenous students access to modes of transportation will go a long way in encouraging them to be active, confident and self-reliant.
“We hope they feel heard and that this is something that fills the need.”