Beginning
It started with a bicycle
Cycle Connect began as Bicycles Against Poverty, built on the belief that a bicycle could create access, freedom, and opportunity for rural families.
Who We Are
Where we began
It started with a bicycle and grew into a portfolio of productive assets that help last-mile farmers increase income and invest in their futures.
Our Origin
From mobility to productive asset financing.
Cycle Connect began with a simple but powerful idea: mobility can unlock access, opportunity, and income for rural farming households. What started as a lease-to-own bicycle model revealed a wider need among smallholder farmers for practical tools that could increase productivity and improve livelihoods.
Today, that original belief continues to guide Cycle Connect’s work: distance should not be a barrier to access and opportunity.
Our Journey
Key moments that shaped Cycle Connect.
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2014
Full-time operations begin
Molly Burke moved from New York City to Northern Uganda to launch full-time operations. The organization distributed 250 lease-to-own bicycles in its first year.
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2014–2017
Learning from last-mile farmers
The bicycle model helped farmers access markets, health services, and education. Over time, the team learned that farmers also needed other productive tools to grow income.
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2018
Product portfolio expands
Building on the success of bicycles, the organization began adding income-generating assets such as oxen and ploughs, grinding machines, and motorcycles.
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2019
Cycle Connect is born
Bicycles Against Poverty rebranded to Cycle Connect, with a mission to increase income for smallholder farmers through productive asset financing and training.
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2022
Growth across Northern Uganda
Cycle Connect expanded its reach through additional outposts and strengthened its field-based model to bring financing, training, and support closer to last-mile farmers.
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Today
A growing portfolio of productive assets
Cycle Connect now finances motorcycles, grinding mills, oxen and ploughs, electric bicycles, and other productive assets that help last-mile farmers invest in their futures.
Where We’re Going
Growing access for last-mile farmers.
Cycle Connect is focused on helping more smallholder farmers access income-generating tools, responsible financing, practical training, and reliable last-mile support.
✓ Expand last-mile delivery and support into more communities across Northern Uganda.
✓ Grow a portfolio of high-impact productive assets for smallholder farmers.
✓ Strengthen farmer training, after-sales support, and repayment guidance.
✓ Use data and learning to improve product performance, income impact, and customer support.
The Journey Continues
Help us go further into the last mile.
From bicycles to productive asset financing, Cycle Connect continues to create pathways for farmers to thrive, not just survive.