World Bicycle Relief

Project Tsunami is a relief effort started by SRAM and Trek in order to provide bicycles to tsunami victims. The effort is well underway since the devastation took place in December 2004. SRAM put in $200k while Trek threw down $100k.

The site provides a lot of useful information, but a rather interesting page describes The Power of Bicycles. Those of us driving around in gas guzzling cars, paying $3+ a gallon, cannot put into perspective the extraordinary benefits a bicycle provides to a family with no means of transportation.

Without a bike you're hoofin' it, and to regain their livlihood sooner rather than later it requires a faster mode of transport. Families in the area are sharing bicycles as well, so if they're able to get 5 bikes together within a small community it has a big multiplying affect on progress. A simple bicyle brings entire communities together.

The relief is accepting donations online, by check and wire transfer. A donation of only $71 will allow the purchase of one bicycle while $355 will get five bikes. Check out the site, donate, and see pictures of the bikes that get sent.