Building Healthier Communities: Free Bicycles For Children In Kilis, Turkey

kid on bicycleAs part of civic and infrastructure projects aimed at creating a more livable environment in the Turkish border city of Kilis, which has seen a massive influx of Syrian refugees fleeing war, local children are being given free bicycles – providing they meet three important requirements. They must get a smoker relative to quit. They must maintain strong grades while improving a weak area of study. And, they must promise to ride for an hour a day.

While Kilis, Turkey isn’t the most bicycle-friendly city currently, local leaders are hoping that by creating a new network of bicycle lanes and giving away thousands of bikes to local children, they can one day make Kilis as bike-friendly as cities like Amsterdam. And boost the health of the city’s children and adults, too.

Think Charleston would support a free bicycle program for children? Let us know in the comments.

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