Izzy Diaware is at it again.
Steinbach MCC Thrift Shop store Manager, Dave Thiessen first met Izzy in November 2023, when he first walked into the Steinbach Main Street office.
Thiessen recalls the tall thin young man asking for bike donations.
At the time, Thiessen said they just happened to have a warehouse full, but that not all of them were in good working condition, as it wasn’t the season to be fixing bikes for sale.
“We weren’t quite ready to put them out yet because it wasn’t springtime, so they were just taking up space.”
The young man, who introduced himself as Izzy Diaware from Mali, had a plan to collect bikes, along with other items like clothes, and send them overseas to help people in his home country. Izzy told Thiessen that he wanted to give back to the people who supported him in his schooling in Canada.
So, that November he left the store with a trailer full of bikes—around 40 of them.
But Thiessen was cautious. “I thought, ‘Is this legitimate? Is this really going to make a difference?’ I mean, how is this going to work?”
Then last week, Izzy returned, this time with photos and videos that would change Thiessen’s perspective.
“The photos were incredible,” Thiessen said. “I saw these small villages—mud huts with grass roofs—and Izzy was standing there with a group of people, all gathered around a pile of bikes.”
In the video footage, Thiessen could see the impact these bikes were making.
“One guy was so happy because he didn’t have to walk two and a half hours to the farm to work anymore. He could just ride his bike in half an hour instead of spending all day walking.”
Izzy also told Thiessen a story about a man in need of a wheelchair, who had never been able to walk and crawled or was often carried. Now, thanks to a donated wheelchair, he could get around.
“His family was so grateful,” said Thiessen. “It was heartwarming to see proof of this Good Samaritan's kindness.”
The Steinbach MCC Thrift Store Manager discovered that the St Boniface University Political Studies graduate had had help in funding his goodwill project through local dignitaries in his home country of Mali, which was a relief to Thiessen. He noted that it appeared the project had gained traction in his home region and he had partners chipping in to help ship the container overseas.
“The whole thing costs about $6,000, and some people from his town paid out of their own pockets.”
Thiessen adds that Izzy paid for the bikes he picked in Steinbach, it was not a donation by the Steinbach MCC Thrift Shop.
“He paid about $10 per bike. Sure, we might have sold them for more in the store, but it felt the right thing to do.”
So, what does it mean for Steinbach MCC Thrift Shop to be part of this?
Thiessen says, “It feels amazing."
"MCC has partners all over the world, and knowing that we’re helping out in Mali—people who need these bikes so badly—just makes me proud. It’s not just about giving stuff away; it’s about making a real difference.”
And it’s not just the bikes. MCC’s work around the globe is about showing love to everyone, no matter their background or beliefs.
Thiessen adds, “It’s the kind of work we want to be a part of. Helping people, no matter where they are or who they are.”
For the young student, Izzy, he says his mission is clear: “I just want to help my people back home.”
And with the support of the Steinbach MCC Thrift Shop, Izzy is well on his way to making a meaningful impact in his community in Mali.