Zambikes became an official Zambian company in September 2007 with four founders and current Directors: Gershom Sikaala, Mwewa Chikamba, Vaughn Spethmann, and Dustin McBride...
With two Zambians and two Americans as Directors, Zambikes has the advantage of combining the strength of American business practices and Zambian understanding.
After the first 300 bicycles were sold and distributed in 2007, the Directors decided to purchase land, build a warehouse for assembly and production and double sales in 2008.
Now in 2009, Zambikes has the capacity to more than triple its sales and distribution around Zambia.
Operations:
Zambikes appeals to multiple target markets in order to fulfill the mission to not only build bikes, but to change lives. Zambikes currently sells bicycles in large quantities to companies and organizations needing transportation assistance for their employees and/or volunteers. In addition, Zambikes provides bicycles to individuals in and around Zambia through numerous sales outlets. (See Contact page for current sales outlets).
Social Business:
Zambikes has a unique and unparalleled business model within Zambia. Through a partnership with the US non-profit organization, Acirfa (pronounced A-ker-fa), Zambikes was founded and now operates as a for profit company in Zambia in order to benefit the surrounding communities.
Zambikes is able to accomplish this through its training programs and the reinvestment of all year-end profits back into the company and surrounding community work.
Nobel Peace Prize winner of 2006, Muhammad Yunus, advocates that the only way to break the cycle of poverty is through Social Business. Social businesses operate and compete with any and all regular for profit businesses while ensuring profits go back into the community rather than into the hands of a few shareholders. Additionally, the company must be run with the community benefit in mind.
Zambikes strives to provide the highest quality products and customer service to Zambians so they will be able to positively affect Zambia and improve the quality of life of each individual they work with.
