In May 2021, members of the Israel Start-Up Nation team traveled to Rwanda to participate in the largest race in Africa, the Tour du Rwanda.

But it was not just a bicycle race for the only Israeli professional cycling team. The biggest highlight of the trip to Rwanda took place in Bugesera, a province that is made up of several villages not far from the capital, Kigali, where the only women’s cycling team in the country was recently founded.

Bicycles are a way of life in Rwanda. They are a means of subsistence, and often, the key to subsistence – a means of traveling to school or earning a livelihood. In Bugasera, only a few of the school’s 1,400 students can afford a bicycle.

This was the place to launch “Racing for Change”, a film by Noam Chojnowski.

To watch : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EH4dEhzh2x8&t=895s

This 33-minute documentary follows the team’s journey to Rwanda – at the race, in the village, during meetings, and while training with the young riders. This is an exciting and inspiring film, optimistic, and, most importantly, presents the humanity behind the magical dream that sees cycling as an opportunity for a better life.