Booomers
Short description: Bamboo bicyles
Full description: The problem : Lack of high performance handmade product using local materials in Ghana’s rural areas
The solution : Founded in Ghana in 2014 by Kwabena Danso, Booomers is a social enterprise which produces high quality, affordable bamboo products that have economic and social benefits to customers around the world. Through its actions it also promote soft mobility and protection of the environnement within rural communities and especially to children.
State of Development : Since launch, Booomers have delivered more than 2,500 frames and thousands of bamboo accessories, from bicycle baskets to children’s tricycles. The factory is in Apaah, the team now totals over 50 young people aged between 18 and 29. Booomers indirectly employs 20 young people who harvest and 200 farmers who cultivate bamboo. It provides on-the-job training and a steady income that can be difficult to find in rural Ghana. Since 2015, it started exporting bamboo bike frames to Germany and now have happy customers across Australasia, North America and Europe thanks to its partnership with MyBoo from Germany its biggest distributor. In terms of social impact,, the « Bike to school » program associated with UNICEF in 2017 gave the opportunity to young girls of Volta Region to receive 150 bamboo bikes in order to improve their mobility and access to education. Booomers also support 400 school children through scholarships and fund libraries and computer labs across the region. In 2017, Booomers launched the first mid-motor powered bamboo bicycle, the Bamboo Electric Bicycle (MY VOLTA) at the just-ended 2016 Euro Bike Show, that received great reviews from industry professionals and positive feedback from bicycles lovers across Europe.
Business Model : Boomers sells its products locally in Ghana and through different brands across Europe My-Boo in Germany, Asante Bamboo Bikes in Poland, Danso Bikes in Canada, Booomers in the US, Ethical Wheels in Australia.
Ambitions: Booomers wants to impact more people in rural communities around the world
Achievements : The work of Booomers and its founder has been recognised and supported through local and international programmes including the YouthActionNet program, the UK Department for International Development’s ENGINE project, the Tony Eleumelu Foundation Entrepreneurship Program and the African Entrepreneurship Award. Most recently Kwabena was selected for the Obama Foundation Leaders African Programme 2018.
In the context of Soft Mobility in Africa : A unique and very inspiring solution in a continent focused essentially on the development of car transport and major motorways and highways. The solution also highlights the transformation of raw materials, a theme that is central to the political and economic ambitions of African states.
Appreciation : Booomers is a promising and encouraging startup. Subsidies from Ghana state as well as technical support from companies would make it possible to increase its activities and have a greater impact on rural populations in Ghana.
Tags: bamboo, mobilité inclusive, Movin'On LAB Africa (OMA)
Fabmob member:
Theme: Africa
Email:
Website: https://booomers.com/
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Countries of deployment: Ghana
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Type: Entreprise, Startup
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Community(ies) of interest: Communauté des acteurs en Afrique
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