Montgomery Village man collects and ships donated bicycles to Togo, West Africa

Montgomery Village resident Daté Mienso has been collecting bicycles donated by Village (and non-Village) residents since 2019, when he first posted a request on Nextdoor. The Togo, West Africa native was moved to make a difference for the many children who walk more than 5 miles each day just to go to school. At first, he received a few bikes to send to Togo, and he presented them to children during a visit home. The new owners of the bicycles were so excited to receive the generous donations, Daté wanted to keep the movement going.

The donated bicycles kept coming, and Daté and his team were grateful for the overwhelming task of getting them to Togolese children, some living in orphanages. Even more impressive than the over 500 bicycles donated in 2021, is how Daté presents them. Before shipping overseas, he takes a photo of each bike. When the bike is given to a child in Togo, he then takes another photo and shares it with the generous people who made the donation, so they can see first-hand how their giving made a difference.

Daté started a GoFundMe page for the nonprofit organization he now calls “Togo Kids Hope,” along with a Facebook page and TikTok presence where he posts videos and photos of his visits, testimonies and the immense joy the members of the organization feel as they travel back and forth to Togo. A formal website is planned to be up and running later this year.

For more information, including how to donate bicycles, e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..