FORT PORTAL – Women boda-boda riders under their umbrella association Fort Portal Women Boda-Boda Riders and Farmers Association have asked the government for support to buy their own motorcycles.
The association’s Chairperson Margret Asiimwe said women have embraced boda-boda business but are constrained by funds to buy their own motorcycles.
Asiimwe said most of these women are single mothers who are trying hard to put food on the table and pay school fees for their children.
“Most of us in this business are single mothers and we are trying our best to ensure that our children survive. I have been in this business for close to 17 years though I haven’t managed to buy my own motorcycle because I have a lot of demands,” she said.
Asiimwe further said, they are 20 members and they were all taught by their fellow women and are still teaching more how to ride a motorcycle.
However, she noted that most of these women don’t ride their own motorcycles but rather hire them and pay daily to the owners.
“We want more women in the business despite the challenges we face. Every job or business has its own challenges, but we try to solve what we can,” she said.
She also said, many boda-boda riders have lost their lives and others lost their motorcycles which are the most challenges affecting their operations.
Sarah Namara, one of the women boda-boda riders said, the business is dominated by men but they were forced to join so that they can make ends meet.
“Having something to do has helped some of us to reduce domestic violence because we are also improving our family’s income. Most of the domestic cases are as a result of poverty in our homes,” said Asiimwe.
She said they are planning on having their own stage in the middle of the city centre to attract more clients as they recruit more women boda-boda riders.
Launching a protection app
Under their association, they have started up a protection app known as WOBODA that will act as their protection tool while doing their business.
The app is meant to protect women boda-boda riders where each will have it on a phone connected to an office computer so that before setting off from the stage it’s updated on the places one is going to, customer taken and mode of payment.
She said the app will consist of one’s profile, places, orders and payments.
“Boda-boda riders face a lot of challenges where many have lost lives yet as women, we are not in position to defend ourselves but we hope this app will help us to trace everyone’s movements thus increasing protection” she said.
She added that the app will also be used to market their produces since most of them practice farming too, especially those who hire motorcycles to earn a side income.
The Fort Portal Woman Member of Parliament Hon. Irene Linda Mugisa appealed to women boda-boda riders not to miss on the Parish Development Model scheme since women are to benefit from over 60% of the funds.
Hon. Linda said, the Parish Development Model is targeting women more than any other category of people and therefore its high time they embraced it.
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