Cycling: In a world where money is increasingly at stake, those in need rely heavily on the help of others. She sets a good example Cologne and Berlin faradgang. In their free time, the numerous members work on a voluntary basis to enable refugees and other needy people to cycle - free of charge! We talked to the founders and members of the association, Franziska Diehl, Bastian Boss and Stefan Curow, to get to know the interesting project a little better.
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Your website says “We love cycling”. How did this love come about?
"Our "faradgang" came about as a result of a merger between a small group of friends in Cologne. We love the bike as a means of transportation. Unfortunately, not everyone can afford a bicycle. At the time, Basti, one of the founding members, was helping with a project with orphans in Cambodia, where the children lacked bicycles to get to school.
Back in Cologne we collected donations, did flea markets and then sent money for bicycles to Cambodia. When it became apparent how much can be achieved with combined energies, the idea of forming an association was formed. We wanted to work more locally from now on and made it our mission to provide people in need in Cologne and the surrounding area - later also in Berlin - with bicycles and thus share our love of bicycles with others."
You collect bikes, you repair bikes and you broker bikes. How did that happen?
“The love of cycling is not everything. We also feel a certain social responsibility and can help other people with our screwdriver or organizational skills, making them mobile and independent. And we even have fun doing it ourselves.”
You organize so-called screwdriver days. What is it and who can participate?
"Exactly. In Cologne, we usually organize a larger open-air workshop every first Saturday of the month. We have a very well-equipped workshop container and can usually complete 10 to 15 bicycles with the refugees on a Saturday.
Apart from that, in addition to these dates, we also organize mini screwdriver days, where we only invite a few and screw for a few hours. In Berlin, the implementation is a little different. Here we organize bike repairs for 3 to 4 young refugees every or every second Monday evening and then usually do 2 to 3 larger campaign and repair days during the year.
The process is simple: We collect donated bicycles and, together with their future owners - and these are currently mostly refugees - we rebuild them so that they are roadworthy. Helpers are always welcome, whether with screwdriver skills or more in the organization or sometimes to cook or bake cakes. If you want to help, just send us an email. We look forward to you!"
Which current projects would you like to present to us?
“In general, in addition to the bicycle screws, the contact and the long-term exchange with the young people is important to us. We are also planning joint Faradgang bike tours with the young people starting in spring. Get on your bike and off to the Berlin area for a picnic and nature excursion.”
In a world where it's almost all about money: What is your motivation?
“We want to share, our time and our passion. We want to make more people mobile and independent and give those in need the opportunity to explore the city by bike. And we still have fun and get a lot in return. Anyone who does voluntary work knows how wonderful such work is. You wouldn't believe how motivating it is when refugees ride around on their new bikes with big grins on their faces. It is nice to do something useful that people who have mostly experienced terrible things can enjoy.”
How many bikes have you given away?
"Phew... hard to say because we don't keep count. But there must have been well over 500 bicycles in Cologne and Berlin together over the years.”
Faradgang eV : Giving back a piece of self-determination to people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds through mobility ❤ pic.twitter.com/7oNjs7ipZV
— Teresa M (@teresamula) March 26, 2017
How do you feel about people when they find out that everything is free?
"Of course you're happy. And it's not completely free, after all, people have to work and help themselves. We want them to at least be able to fix a flat tire and appreciate their new bike. Some also ask how long we've been doing this professionally. When we tell them that we do it as a pastime, they often have trouble understanding it. However, they are all the happier about the result and appreciate it even more.”
Have you experienced stories that were particularly funny or strange?
“Well, it's not uncommon for people, especially young people, to simply not like the bikes we offer them. Old Dutch or folding bikes, which we personally think are great, do not want the mostly male bike candidates. Mountain bikes and all sporty bikes, on the other hand, are quickly sold out and in great demand. That always makes us smile.
When it came to a youngster being allowed to take his first test ride on a freshly repaired bike, he revealed to us that he couldn't ride a bike at all. We then taught him with a smile.”
How do you finance your projects? How can I support you?
“We are constantly dependent on donations to buy tools and, of course, wearing parts, and are always looking for financing options. So we are constantly on the lookout for funding and are busy writing applications. What we would really like would be sponsors for good bicycle locks, because unfortunately they are very expensive. We are happy about every donation. This is also very easy to do via our donation button on the homepage.
We are offered bikes on an irregular basis. But our basement in Berlin-Neukölln only has a limited amount of space. If we could wish for something, it would be another storage option. At this point I would like to emphasize that we are incredibly happy about the support of the Berlin youth workshop "Statt Knast", whose workshop and basement we can use. Previously, we held our weekly mechanic events in an outdoor area, which made storing and repairing in the cold seasons impossible. We greatly appreciate the fact that the youth workshop “Statt Knast” shares its resources so generously with us.”
You want to support the faradgang?
On the faradgang website you will find a contact option and you can donate.
www.faradgang.de
Source of the images: © Maximilian Glass
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