Submitted by Alaffia
“Bicycles for Education” Bike and School Supply Drive co-sponsored by Alaffia and The Fish Tale Brew Pub
Olympia based Fair Trade natural body care company Alaffia is collecting bikes for their Bicycles for Education program at Olympia’s Fish Brew Pub this Saturday. Olympia and surrounding communities can drastically change the life of young students in Togo, West Africa by bringing adult sized bikes, bike parts, and school supplies to The Fish Tale Brew Pub Saturday, August 31 between 10 am and 3 pm. Since 2004, Alaffia has distributed over 4,500 used bicycles to secondary school students in need of transportation.
Students in rural Togo must often walk 5 to 15 miles a day to get to school. Because of this, 91% of girls and 48% of boys drop out of school before the sixth grade. In contrast; 95% of the students who receive an Alaffia bike stay in school and graduate.
Alaffia was founded in 2004 by Olowo-n’djo Tchala and his wife and partner Rose Hyde as a means to alleviate poverty and promote gender equality in Olowo-n’djo’s native Togo. They established a Certified Fair Trade Shea butter cooperative in Togo that focuses on employing women to traditionally handcraft premium quality Shea butter. The couple selected Olympia as the location for what began as a ‘cottage industry’ operation; both partners working together to create and promote the Alaffia line. By meeting and exceeding rigorous Fair Trade standards and investing sales back into Community Empowerment Projects, they were embraced in local food co-ops.
Today, Alaffia can be found in over 2,000 stores nationwide and has greatly expanded their natural body care lines, their workforce in Olympia, and Community Empowerment Projects in Togo. The members of their Fair Trade Cooperatives have grown from 50 to 500. In March of this year, Olowo-n’djo was publically recognized when he received a Washington State Jefferson Award for public service. On Monday, September 2, Alaffia is commemorating its ten year anniversary by sending Olowo-n’djo on The Empowerment Tour; a two month, 8,780 mile, couch surfing tour across the US in a biodiesel van. Olowo-n’djo will personally travel the US thanking stores and consumers for their support. The money saved on hotel rooms is being donated to their Maternal Health Project in Togo, which provides post and prenatal care for 1,000 women each year.
In addition, Alaffia plants 10,000 trees each year through their Reforestation Project, builds schools, and empowers thousands of students through Bicycles for Education. Fish Brewing Company has hosted several Alaffia bike drives in the past 10 years. With the longstanding support of Fish Brewing Company and Northwest communities, Bicycles for Education is making a lasting impact and reducing poverty in Togolese communities.
“Fish Brewing is proud to help sponsor Alaffia and their Bicycles for Education program. Our goal is to have a focus on sustainability here in the NW, and we love the ability to share that with the global community. Cheers and prost to all our participants and we look forward to seeing you on Saturday!” shares Sarah Turnquist, Marketing Manager Fish Brewing Company
Those donating a bike will be entered to win an Alaffia gift basket. All donations are tax deductible.
Event Details:
- Saturday, August 31, 2013
- 10 am to 3 pm
- Fish Tale Brew Pub 515 Jefferson Street SE Olympia WA 98501
- Members of the community that would like to donate a bike at a later date may call (360) 866-0080.
