It's important to note that we're not considered a charity, but if a project is selected as a recipient of a grant, we send the containers [of bike parts] for free.

What's unique to Bikes Not Bombs is that it combines local and international [efforts]. It's about solidarity, bringing two worlds together.

Charity is injurious unless it helps the recipient to become independent of it.

Successes are successes and failures are failures; we've definitely had our share of both, but we're [reaching] more donors and volunteers all the time.

[The point is to get] the business up and running, so they have the option of staying local or continuing to buy and ship parts from the U.S.. The projects in Ghana recently paid to receive three containers of parts from the Bikes Not Bombs in the U.S.

[The purpose] is to get small businesses up and running by providing the raw materials. It's building an enterprise from the ground up.