This is not about electric motorcycles for a change but EMN supports this initiative from Sandrine Nikuze (SafeMotos Institute) to end gender inequality in the motorcycle taxi industry and create job opportunity for women by reducing the unemployment rate in Rwanda.
Article from Indiegogo | In Rwanda, the most popular way to get around is by motorcycle taxi. In fact, the motorcycle taxi industry is the 2nd largest profession in the country. But, of the 20,000 moto-taxi drivers in Kigali, three (that’s right, THREE!) are women, and they are the one we helped. SafeMotos Insitute decided to end gender inequality, reduce poverty and unemployment in the motorcycle taxi industry by educating women how to drive and equip them with the necessary material to start to work in this industry.
I am Sandrine Nikuze from Rwanda, an African country of 1000 hills. I am passionate about making an impact in my community. I am 22 years old, and I work as a Country Director of an NGO called SafeMotos Institute. I am the one who started SafeMotos Institute operations in Rwanda, but normally, it is registered in the USA. However, it operates in Rwanda.
Sandrine Nikuze
SafeMotos Institute aims to end gender inequality in the motorcycle taxi industry and create job opportunity for females by reducing the unemployment rate in Rwanda. In the beginning, we had no females who were interested to become the motorcycle taxi drivers, but after a few months, we enrolled 5 females as a pilot group. With time, we enrolled again 43 females in the training. Now, we have three females who are working full time, and we still have 38 females who are still studying who to ride and 9 more females who are ready to start to work. We have inked an agreement with Rwanda’s fastest growing moto-taxi company stating that they will employ any woman who graduates from our program. So, we know these women will end up employed!
But, of the 20,000 moto-taxi drivers in Kigali, three (that’s right, THREE!) are women, and they are the one we helped.
I am raising money to keep supporting these females who are very passionate about driving the motorcycle. Many Rwandan women live in grinding poverty, and many people in Africa believe women can’t be drivers. People say women are too weak, too unskilled, and to busy with household chores. There are females who went beyond all these criticism and choose a right path for their future, however, without your help, they won’t be able to realize their dreams.
With the rise of money, $19,000, we will be able to sustain the NGO in Rwanda. I will buy motorcycles to give to the women and be able to pay school fees for those who are studying. In addition, we will be able to enroll another large number of vulnerable females who want to change their miserable life.
I would like to give 10 motorcycles to females, and I plan that one motorcycle will give 2 motorcycles in 2 years. These motorcycles will be owned by females. All donation will be spent directly on these women. Our goal is to raise $19,000, but if we don’t get that amount, it won’t stop me from working. We will make sure that we start a few and grow fast.
This is going to have a great impact because of the following:
- The number of females who are unemployed will decrease
- Female clients will be connected to female drivers where they will be safer
- We are working to achieve Sustainable development Goals
- We are enabling women to work in the industry they were outnumbered
- Our success will be majored by the number of women who will be working after collating the donation.
If we don’t get enough money, all these females who started to study will be obliged to stop learning, and SafeMotos Institute cannot allow that to happen. We believe in people, and we hope that if we join our hands all these females will be able to accomplish their studies and give a chance to all other females who want to join the program.
Money is not the only thing you can donate, because liking and sharing is also a donation. Help us share and like our campaign, and in case you know anyone who might be interested in women’s empowerment you can help us and connect us with them. Please use the Indiegogo share tools to spread our campaign.
