Job created: 19The bicycle-based entrepreneurship programme promoted by A&K Philanthropy is an extraordinary initiative for women’s empowerment and community development that uses sustainable mobility as a starting point to transform entire villages.
It all began in September 2015 with the opening of the Chipego Bike Shop in the village of Nakatindi, Zambia, located near the Sussi & Chuma Lodge. Since that initial venture, the initiative has successfully expanded into Uganda — where the Buhoma Bike Shop was established in Bwindi, near the Gorilla Forest Lodge — and has since reached Egypt and Jordan as well. Today, these outlets are fully self-sustaining businesses: for example, the shop in Nakatindi employs seven women, whilst the one in Bwindi employs 12. The model involves comprehensive training that transforms participants into specialist mechanics and capable entrepreneurs, able to run their own shops independently.
The launch of every new initiative is based on a circular donation model and efficient logistics. AKP funded and dispatched an initial container loaded with second-hand bicycles, collected directly by A&K staff in various countries around the world, such as the United States, the United Kingdom and Australia. This effort is complemented by the long-standing partnership with the Chicago-based organisation Working Bikes for the dispatch of further bicycles. The figures demonstrate the enormous scale of the project: in 2025 alone, 1,652 bicycles were shipped to women-led businesses in Uganda and Zambia, bringing the total number of bicycles distributed since the programme began to 24,058 across Eastern and Southern Africa, Egypt and Jordan.
The impact of these shops extends far beyond the economic independence of the women who run them, going on to improve the lives of the entire community thanks to an affordable and essential means of transport. In Nakatindi, for example, the female entrepreneurs use part of their profits to donate bicycles to children, making it easier for them to travel to school and the local health centre. Thanks to this newfound mobility, the neighbourhood’s nurses are able to move quickly around the area and provide medical care even to patients living in the most isolated and hard-to-reach areas.
Uganda, often called the secret pearl of Africa, wins the hearts of those who visit with its breathtaking scenery: crystal clear lakes, majestic mountain ranges and dense rainforests. This fascinating country boasts the highest concentration of primates in the world, providing an unparalleled wilderness experience.
In the heart of the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in south-western Uganda, is the Gorilla Forest Lodge, an exclusive retreat that combines comfort and sustainability. This region is famous for its iconic mascot: the mountain gorilla. About half the world's population of this rare and endangered species lives here, making Bwindi a must-visit destination for those seeking the thrill of a close encounter with these extraordinary primates.
The Gorilla Forest Lodge, completely renovated in 2024 and designed with respect for the environment, offers an intimate and luxurious experience. Its ten suites, renovated with attention to detail, blend harmoniously with the surrounding mountain landscape. The lodge's amenities include a cosy bar, a lounge perfect for relaxation and a refined dining area with panoramic views of the rainforest, where guests can rejuvenate after a day's trekking. A raised platform allows guests to dine al fresco, surrounded by the enveloping sounds of nature.
The lodge's strategic location, a stone's throw from the starting point of gorilla-watching treks, makes it a unique place. Not infrequently, gorilla families come to the lodge, offering guests the chance to experience unforgettable moments in close contact with these magnificent animals, in their natural habitat.
