JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (BRAIN) — Profits from the sales of Scicon's new Qhubeka Scicon saddlebags will support a program that helps mobilize people on bicycles in South Africa.
The Scicon Elan 210 bags feature the logo and trademark colors of South Africa's first pro cycling team, Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung. The company said for every 50 bags sold, one bike will be donated to the cause.
"We feel honored to be able to take part in a meaningful program that helps changing people's life's. We have started sponsoring Team MTN-Qhubeka p/b Samsung in the 2013 season and it feels natural to go beyond our commitment with the team and to support the Qhubeka foundation directly with this project. We count on our global network of contacts to help us to raise funds and invite everyone to participate in this program," said Christian Pearce, sales and marketing manager of Scicon Technical Bags.
Qhubeka is a non-profit that provides bicycles to people in exchange for work done to improve communities, the environment or academic results. Most of South Africa's rural population has no access to transport and people have to walk long distances to access opportunity, education, healthcare, shops and community services. Schoolchildren are particularly badly affected by lack of mobility. In South Africa, of the 16 million school going children, 12 million walk to school. Of these, 500,000 walk more than two hours each way, spending four hours getting to and back from school each day. Bicycles are the most effective and economical method of quickly addressing this problem.
"Our partnership ensures that a percentage of Qhubeka Scicon Saddlebag sales are used to contribute to our Qhubeka programs - reflecting how inter-linked the international cycling community is to empowering members of communities throughout South Africa," said Anthony Fitzhenry, founder of Qhubeka.
The special bags are available in two color schemes. They have a volume of about 210 cubic centimeters (about 13 cubic inches). MSRP is 15 euros.
More information: teammtnqhubeka.com and sciconbags.com. Scicon's U.S. distributor: albabici.com.
