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PSFU in drive to support women enter boda boda industry
The boda boda industry is largely dominated by men. Photo / File
What you need to know:
- The initiative, under the Lead Firm Structure, begun in 2020 and was being implemented by NFT Mobility
A Sh500m initiative by Private Sector Foundation Uganda [PSFU] and Mastercard Foundation will see more than 320 women enter the boda boda industry as riders and mechanics.
The initiative, under the Lead Firm Structure, was being implemented by NFT Mobility, a specialised last-mile transport infrastructure company with a long term agenda of creating more professionals in the mobility service industry.
Speaking during the NFT Mobility project stakeholders meeting in Kampala yesterday, Mr Apollo Muyanja Mbazzira, the PSFU project director, said the funding had offered young women an opportunity to enter the boda boda industry at different levels.
“Collaborating with NFT, we provided training to boda riders, emphasising road safety protocols and facilitating licensing requirements,” he said.
The project has already generated a number jobs for people aged between 18 and 35 years, many of whom have established a nationwide network of delivery agents. Mr Badru Ntege, the NFT Consult director, said the boda boda ecosystem contributes significantly to the economy, representing 7 percent of gross domestic product.
“There is a pressing requirement for an ecosystem-wide conversation on effective financing. With 1.5 million young people engaged in motorcycle riding and interfacing with seven million individuals daily, this sector’s economic significance cannot be overstated,” he said, noting that they had built trust among different partners, through which they had bought 200 boda bodas, many of which have been deployed.
The Lead Firm Structure Project seeks to create fulfilling work for youth, for which PSFU is working with close to 36 private sector companies that have opened up more than 90,000 job opportunities for youth.
Ms Amina Nanteza, one of the beneficiaries, said the initiative, through which she was trained, had propelled her to opportunities, among which include working on the Uber platform and other companies such as Jumia.
