This Indigenous-Run Bike NGO Uses Pedal Power to Reduce Pollution and Simplify Manual Labor

Located in the small town of San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala, just over an hour away from Guatemala City is Maya Pedal, a non-governmental organization (NGO) that has been making pedal-powered machines, or bicimáquinas (pronounced bee-see-mock-ee-nahs), since 1997.

Born out of necessity and ingenuity, Maya Pedal has sought new ways to simplify otherwise exhausting manual labor all while minimizing its carbon footprint andhonoring its Mayan heritage. The NGO reconditions donated bikes from the U.S. and Canada and either sells them or utilizes different components of the donated bikes to create various types of bicimáquinas.

The name of the NGO can be broken down into two parts: ‘Maya,’ which honors the Mayan heritage which makes up more than 70 percent indigenous population in San Andrés Itzapa, and ‘pedal’ in homage to the mighty pedal-powered bike.

Mario Juarez, Director of Maya Pedal, says that the NGO’s mission is simple: the organization seeks to provide solutions—whether it’s related to transportationand hauling or making time-consuming labor easier—for Guatemalan families, as well as families all over the world. Juarez says that the ingenuity behind the bicimáquinas arose from the need of the people in his community—some needed more efficient ways to complete tasks such as washing their clothes and preparing different types of foods and Maya Pedal stepped up to the challenge.