About us
Riding the Rainbow is a journey that started with the dream to provide every single young refugee in Luxembourg with a bike or a scooter, and provide “the light of the rainbow” to families who left their homes, escaping conflict and leaving everything behind.
Receiving the bike was like receiving the light of rainbow for my kid
Riding the Rainbow was created following the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent influx of Ukrainian refugees to Luxembourg. Starting with the simple donation of a bike, Riding the Rainbow has turned into a more ambitious initiative. We try to provide a sense of normalcy and independence for those that have left everything behind. For many, rainbows represent hope, and an all-embracing image of friendship and inclusion - this is what we facilitate.
Feeling at home in a new country is about being able to reconnect to the old and build new connections. We work to bridge the gap between residents and new arrivals, by changing the understanding of the refugee experience. By having direct contact non-refugees grow to understand that refugees have complex stories and multiple layers, people with the same talents, passions, and goals as them.
It starts with the small things, and it is by addressing the seemingly small things that Riding the Rainbow aims to generate beauty after the storm.
Not a charity, but a community built on sustainability and mutual exchange
Our work goes above and beyond a one-off donation, it is about making connections and generating long-term support networks, coping strategies, and solidarity. We want to dismantle the divide between those donating and the recipients by encouraging direct interaction and promoting social integration. Going further, becoming part of Riding the Rainbow means becoming a part of a global movement of solidarity based on a circular economy. Our initiative centres on waste reduction by increasing the life cycles of belongings and being kind to the planet.
Riding the Rainbow is run by Afrilanthropy a.s.b.l, a Luxembourg-based NGO dedicated to promoting social innovation on the African continent. This organization decided to take on an active role in Luxembourg to generate a solidarity response because of its conviction that there should be no borders coming between individuals' power to make a difference.
This is just the beginning of our story which started with one donation from one garage, now it is your turn to write the next pages of this wonderful journey.
Made in 🇺🇦 with ❤️