For the Reporter<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/p>\n Olympia-based Fair Trade natural body care company Alaffia is collecting bikes for its Bicycles for Education program at BoxMaker this weekend.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Members of the Kent community can drastically change the lives of young students in Togo, West Africa by bringing adult-sized bikes and bike parts to BoxMaker from noon to 5 p.m. Friday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n BoxMaker is at 6412 S. 190th St., Kent.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Since 2004, Alaffia has distributed more than 4,500 used bicycles to secondary school students in need of transportation.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Students in rural Togo must often walk 5-15 miles a day to get to school. Because of this, 91 percent of girls and 48 percent of boys drop out of school before the sixth grade. In contrast, 95 percent of the students who receive an Alaffia bike stay in school and graduate.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Alaffia was founded in 2004 by Olowo-n’djo Tchala and his wife and partner Rose Hyde as a means to alleviate poverty and promote gender equality in Olowo-n’djo’s native Togo.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n Those donating a bike will be entered to win an Alaffia gift basket. All donations are tax deductible.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n