The Egyptian Ministry of Youth and Sports has announced a new initiative, sponsored by the Egyptian cabinet of ministers, which includes providing each citizen with a bike in an attempt to bring change to the country’s predominant means of transportation.
According to a statement by the cabinet, the initiative aims to improve standards of living by focusing on healthy alternatives. “A Bike for Every Citizen” promotes fitness and encourages Egyptians to use active means of transportation, instead of buses and cars, which consume fossil fuels and emit pollutants.
The initiative kicks off next September and hopes to spread throughout the different governorates, starting with Cairo and Giza. Once it launches, “A Bike for Every Citizen” will have the government collaborating with companies and banks to provide bicycles at a price lower than that of the market. In addition, the government will be providing installment systems for citizens wanting to buy these subsidized bikes.
The goal behind the initiative is to involve more and more Egyptians in healthy activities, encouraging them to forego the many bad habits that define many of the chronic diseases that plague our society, such as high blood pressure and diabetes.