Kip Nickel is President Elect for the Rotary Club of Traverse Bay Sunrise and a member of the Global Service Team for Malawi.
The Malawi Bike Project started in August 2021, after a pilot project launched in March 2020. Four secondary schools were selected in the Mangochi District, and it was identified that there was a need for 60 bikes per school. A School Bike Committee was formed and utilized to manage the project. Durable bikes are purchased so that they will be reliable for many years. In order to ensure sustainability, training is offered for local bike repair technicians.
Goals of the Malawi Bicycle Project are to improve secondary school access by providing reliable transportation for those that live 5 kilometers (approximately 3 miles) or more from school; and improve attendance, energy level, academics, safety, and a likely increase in graduation rates.
From 2019 to 2025, $120,000 has been invested into the Malawi Bike Project. Majority of this money was through international district grants through Rotary. There are now six schools in the Mangochi District. After 2026, the number of schools may grow to ten.
In 2026, the Malawi Bike Project will deliver 447 new bicycles. This will include 400 for students and buy 47 new teacher bicycles for new schools. The teachers do receive a microloan to repay the cost of the bicycle.
At the end of 2025, all schools fully own their programs. Buffalo Bicycles is training the school bicycle committees. The schools have hired local village mechanics who visit the schools weekly. The project is now partnering with Buffalo Bicycles to provide sustainability service support, and Buffalo Bicycles will monitor the school’s program metrics monthly.
From the International Rotary Clubs, the Malawi Bike Project includes Rotary Club of Traverse Bay Sunrise, Manton Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Ludington, Rotary Club of Benzie Sunrise, Elk Rapids Rotary Club, and Grosse Pointe Rotary Club. Two other partners, Warm Hearts Foundation and World Bicycle Relief, provide support for global travel and training.
The vision for the Malawi Bicycle Project is to confirm sustainability and self-sufficiency; be a turnkey project for other Rotary clubs and districts; connect with Rotary International for funding; World Bicycle Relief provides support across Rotary clubs worldwide; and translate the project across Malawi and beyond.
The Global Service Team is always looking for new members. A trip to Malawi is being planned for September/October 2026. If you are interested in going to Malawi, please contact Kip at nickel.kip@gmail.com.
To view a recording of Kip's presentation, click this link, https://youtu.be/EtdjzTzyyq4