Stumbled upon this beautiful Indiegogo campaign . ORO builds beautiful bikes that directly support the donation of bikes to people in need.
From ORO’s site:
Our Founder, Chelsea, first came up with the idea for Bikes ORO (Bikes of Reckless Optimism) back in 2009 while living in a refugee community outside Uganda. To Chelsea, access to bicycles was overwhelming, compelling, and powerful.
At ORO, we build our bikes with simplicity, a beautiful utility, and awareness. For every bike purchased, we get wheels onto a bike going to someone in need. We’re partnered with World Bicycle Relief, and donate directly to get wheels on a bike that goes straight to someone who needs it, and can have their life changed by their power.
Why are bikes powerful? Who needs them? So many people! Bikes are engines of social and economic change for people globally – especially those living in in impoverished conditions. Compared to walking, bikes improve access to education, healthcare and economic opportunity. They increase carrying capacity and accessible travel distance while decreasing the time it takes to commute to schools, clinics and markets.
Fast forwarding to February, 2015 — This is when the dream started to come alive. Chelsea says “I couldn’t stop thinking and dreaming about what it could be”. We’re going to bring the bikes to you, create supportive environments to get riding, and help spread the power of the bicycle to people in need around the world.
Chelsea Koglmeier and Max Samuelson, owners of Of Reckless Optimism and Woody Bicycles in their house and workshops for an editorial for Cape May Magazine October 4, 2015. Photos by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo Copyright of EKC Photography for Cape May Magazine.
