Bamboosero – Growth Cycle – Fiona Melville – Zambia

27-09-2010

Craig Calfee's Bamboosero bikes are made in Zambia by Zambikes, a small 'social business' orginally from the US who make affordable bikes adapted to suit local Zambian needs - an elongated rack on the back for passengers or an ambulance trailer to carry pregnant women to hospital, all sturdy enough to cope with village roads. They recently invited Calfee to collaborate with them and now produce Bamboosero bikes to his specifications for export to more affluent places.

Arriving at Lusaka airport I was greeted by Zambikes boss, Vaughn, a dynamic twenty-something from California. Three young American girls were waiting in the truck, new arrivals here for a two week teaching stint. We headed for the supermarket. Dazed after an overnight flight I felt I'd landed back in London. We bought provisions and were joined by two young guys who work on the pig farm, another of Vaughn's enterprises, and as if by magic some of Vaughn's housemates appeared, one bald and tattooed turned up on a motorbike.

When I contacted Vaughn to arrange filming the Zambia part of the Bamboosero story he said I could stay at his. I was unprepared for the five star luxury of the entirely 'green' house made from local materials with a huge open plan kitchen and living room and even a ping pong table. The house had also been a project of Vaughn's and his Zambikes co-founder. The American girls and I joined the household comprising an ex-Peace Corp volunteer, a born again Christian minister (the biker) and a laid back and charming young Californian, a friend of Vaughn's who'd come to help out.

The Bamboosero bikes really are beautiful and a great deal of care has been given to perfecting the design of the frame to meet Calfee's high standards, and also to include other locally sourced materials such as dark hemp and mukwa wood giving them a particularly Zambian feel. Vaughn tells me, "Something I've noticed when I've ridden these bamboo frames is the natural shock absorption of the bamboo and it actually is the smoothest ride of any frame that I've ever ridden, whether it's carbon, steel, aluminium, it's just an incredible natural shock absorption in the frame. To go along with the great looks and to know where it comes from and who you're supporting it just gives it an amazing package for people to receive in the mail." The guys in the workshop were all struggling to find work before Zambikes. Two years ago Vaughn had imported a large container full of bike parts and set about creating a workshop out of it. Locals came by to have a look and invited him to play football. The team now comprises most of the Zambike staff and the team coach built Vaughn's house. After a day filming the bikes the staff re-enacted their Wednesday morning singsong for me. They really came to life bursting instantly into harmony and Vaughn joined in, showing off some of his dance moves.

We visited the home of Esnard Masompe, the only girl who works on the bikes. She had been unhappily married and left to live with her father. She told me that the job at Zambikes will help pay for her children's education. We also visited 'coach' the builder in his own newly built brick house.

Back at the Zambikes house Greg the minister was busy transforming the supermarket shopping into a huge pasta dinner. He told me how he'd come to Zambia, a series of chance meetings had led him to a local minister badly in need of help in building his church. Greg who looked more like a biker than a priest said he'd turned his life around after ten years in jail in the US, and felt it was his calling to teach Biblical prophecy here at the local church. The Peace Corps volunteer told me living in a remote village for two years had led him to give up trying to 'help' and to seriously question his lifestyle in the US. The teenage girls wondered how it might be possible to really 'make a change'. I was struck with how the people I'd met in at Vaughn's house were learning as much from living in Zambia as the recipients of their philanthropy were learning from them.

Posted by Fiona Melville

Bamboosero – Growth Cycle – Craig Calfee

21-10-2010

It was great to see our Zambian friends getting in front of the camera. I know they really enjoyed it and feel very proud to know that their daily work is of interest to so many people! This kind of attention really keeps the motivation high. Here in California, we enjoyed perfect weather and I was able to speak somewhat coherently about Bamboosero. I've had a lot of practice talking about bikes for the past 20 years. But I had difficulty with the 30 second "promo" piece. It just wouldn't flow. I wasn't putting all the ideas together into that all important sound bite! Finally, Alexandra (the camera person) suggested we do something different. Something with shorter segments that could be stitched together for 30 seconds. I wanted to use the bike as a metaphor for what Bamboosero is all about. So we went out to the airstrip and started shooting. It went really well and I was even able to get a bike ride in! I'm off to Ghana this month and will bring a video camera. There are so many great moments to try and capture! The satisfaction of getting paid for a job well done is one that I want to try and catch. The Ghanaians are especially expressive and they hold nothing back in celebration! It sure motivates me to get this ball across the goal line!

Posted by Craig Calfee