Bikes can transform lives. From the early days of women’s suffrage to the provision of Buffalo Bicycles to communities across Africa to facilitate the movement of people and goods over rugged terrain, bikes have been moving communities forward for over 100 years. In the last close to 10 years, Zwift has become another platform for continuing to move communities forward.
There are many teams on Zwift that use their events and their membership to do good in the world. From fundraising efforts to raising awareness for good causes, the platform makes it possible to interact with riders from every part of the world while riding. One team, Rocacorba, is taking this to another level by empowering women through access to and use of the platform itself. The team is working with the Khaltsha Cycling Academy (the “Academy”) to get young women onto Zwift to build their power – through physical watts but also self-confidence and resilience.
The Academy, located in Khayelitsha Township in South Africa, empowers young girls through biking by partnering with Rocacorba Collective and real-life pro cyclist Ashleigh Moolman Pasio. This partnership marries up riding in real life (“IRL”) and riding and racing on Zwift. Young women in the community gather at their capsule-sized container with access to academic assistance, high-speed WiFi, smart trainers, and Zwift accounts. The Academy, in other words, is providing the tools for these young women to be empowered academically, socially, and physically.
By including these young women in the Rocacorba team – training rides and team interactions specifically – these women see the wonderful wide world of racing from a community level on Zwift to the outdoor athletes sponsored by Rocacorba. Seeing women around the world working hard on their own fitness and racecraft while supporting each other in a team environment provides these young women with examples of how individual growth can be richer and more satisfying within a community.
In their first year (2022-2023), the partnership supported 30 young women in training for the iconic Cape Town Cycle Tour held in Cape Town each year in March. Rocacorba raised money to train, equip, and support the women, and Ashleigh rode the Tour with the women to witness their accomplishment. The partnership continues to raise money to keep access to these resources for the women in the community.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have raced the biggest races in the world, and even win a few of them. You can have the best equipment and best abilities, but if you don’t believe in yourself, it’s nearly impossible to succeed.”
Ashleigh Moolman Pasio
The Academy exposes these young women to elite athletes like Moolman Pasio who invest time and effort into them. Rocacorba’s contribution to the Academy hinges on the idea that supporting these women through their training inside and outside will give them not just a glimpse into the athlete mentality but a sense that every rider matters – that we are all capable of working hard and doing great things.
Further reading: How Ashleigh Moolman-Pasio is using virtual cycling to change the narrative for African girls
Rocacorba believes that community is power, and that self-confidence is key to success (in Zwift and in life). This position aligns closely with many international women’s organizations and with our own at FemmeCycle Collab. Ride on, together, women of Zwift!
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