Women's Cycling & Rwanda

If you know me, you know that I don't follow much in the way of professional sports, including cycling (yes, even cycling).  However, I have been interested in Team Africa Rising/Team Rwanda.  I first learned the story of this team through the documentary film "Rising from Ashes" about efforts to building a competitive team following the genocide in Rwanda.  Sports have the potential to change people's lives in serious and significant ways and Team Rwanda was doing just that.  As it says on their foundation website, "the bicycle—and cycling as a pursuit—is widely accessible, easily transportable, rapidly disseminated and a universal engine of both economic and personal empowerment."  NPR has a short article entitled "How Bicycles Are Helping to Heal Rwanda" at
http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2015/05/08/405192878/how-bicycles-are-helping-to-heal-rwanda that is very informative.

Like many sports, cycling, even recreational cycling is male dominated.  It can be hard for a girl to find a role model.  Team Rwanda is no different in that respect, however, they do have a rising female star, Jeanne D'Arc Girubuntu, and a new women's program.  I encourage you to learn more and perhaps sponsor Jeanne or support the team.

https://teamafricarising.org/womens-programme/ 
https://www.thenation.com/article/cycling-redefined-rwandas-joan-of-arc/

Photo is from the article in The Nation.