Pro cyclist Joel Kyaviro grew up in the Democratic Republic of Congo (the DRC) amid the bloodiest civil war that the world has seen since World War II–amid an ongoing conflict that has so far killed six million people. His childhood was difficult. A bomb hit his family’s home when he was 10; his brother was killed. But he trained through the mayhem, and in 2023 he made it onto the Black Mamba Development Squad, a vaunted East Africa racing team, and began earning a stipend sufficient to pay his daily expenses. The same year, he became the DRC’s road racing champion.

Joel is 22. Last month, in his home city of Goma, he founded Tumaini Academy, aimed at training the DRC’s next generation of cycling stars. Tumaini means “hope” in Swahili. Forty kids are involved, 27 boys and 13 girls. They convene four times a week and they share six bikes. “When one kid finishes a lap,” Joel says, “another takes the bike and continues.

“Most of the children come from very poor families,” Joel says. “Some are living in orphanages or care centers, mainly in neighborhoods heavily affected by the war here in Goma. They are struggling academically, so part of our vision is to provide them with school support alongside their cycling training.”

With $2,600, Tumaini Academy can buy the following: four used entry-level road bikes, enough to build a small racing team; two or three used mountain bikes; and also some much-needed helmets, jerseys and shoes.

[A side note: It’s not really possible to send used bike gear to the DRC. The freight costs are prohibitively expensive.]