CubaPLUS Magazine

If a few years ago, they mentioned there were bamboo bicycles, perhaps some people would have thought it was something unusual. However, today there are several countries that use it, among them South Korea, Malaysia, Australia, the United States, Canada and in Cuba there are already some tested for some years with very good results. Precisely in the Cuban capital, Nayvis Díaz Labaut created an MSME three years ago (micro, small and medium-sized business) Vélo Cuba with the aim of facilitating mobility in the city through bicycles and, within this, it has the purpose of increasingly using bamboo cycles.

In an interview given to this magazine, Clara Lucia Sochay, financial coordinator of the entity, explained the work developed by Vélo Cuba in its almost three years of operations,  it has been achieved successfully. Right now, she said, we have 6 bamboo bikes on test that workers of the Zoo on 26th Avenue and the Flora and Fauna company use with very good results, She also considered that these cycles have a good future in Cuba because they are light, ecological and have a fairly economic cost, which is why they are waiting for financing that will allow importing some parts of bicycles that cannot be made of bamboo, such as rubbers and being able to produce them.

Regarding the work of Vélo Cuba, Sochay pointed out that in principle the project pursued the purpose of facilitating mobility in Old Havana, but it has already been extended to the entire province because they have two stations where cycles are rented, one in Prado 20, and another in Regla, which also serves the town of Guanabacoa.

We will soon open a station in San Miguel del Padrón and we are available to open many others in the city when the required conditions are ready. Made up mostly of women workers, Vélo Cuba is today an example of what a female can do when she proposes it. In addition to its director and founder, 85% of its workers are women. Currently, in addition to renting cycles, Vélo Cuba takes care of their maintenance and repair, whether on site or at home, provides courier services, as well as impart preparation courses for mechanics, salespeople, social communication and other specialties.

It also organizes cycle tourism excursions to different provinces, for which it has a branch in the city of Trinidad, in the south-central part of the country. Finally she talked about the social projects they carry out, especially with children. “We go to schools, day care centers, or parks with small bamboo bicycles, so that children can use them and play with them”, something that fills everyone with satisfaction and each of the workers of this entity, dreamed of and directed by women.
Velo Cuba participates with a stand in the II edition of the International Transportation Fair and Logistics that takes place until April 5 at Pabexpo, organized by the Palco Group and the Ministry of Transportation.