Young and bold, tackling stigma in transport industry

Lesley Ny’angore, 23, got fascinated with motorbikes at an early age and it is no wonder today, she is in the boda boda business.

A resident of  Lumakanda in Lugari, Kakamega County, she says her motivation came from a woman who had a spare parts shop and every time a motorbike would be repaired, the entrepreneur would take it for a test ride.

Ms Ny’angore says she used to watch her in amazement and one day, she gave it a try.

Shortly after that, she decided to get into the boda boda business to fend for her family.  Initially, she says, I faced stigma but I had to prove my self-worth. 

Women riders

“There is still a lot of stigma and perception that this is a man’s job. With time, however, this is changing and more people are accepting women riders,” she says. 

Ms Ny’angore, a mother of one, is employed but hopes that one day she will get capital to buy a motorbike.

The mother of one says the job comes with a lot of challenges include balancing between house chores and her work.

“I start work at 6am to 7pm which means I have to wake up very early to attend to my house chores and sleep very late too,” she says.

Fight stigma

 Unlike her male counterparts, Ms Ny’angore says she cannot work at night because of safety concerns.

She, however, encourages women to take up the business because it is lucrative.

Many people are beginning to embrace women in this trade and they prefer to send us to pick their children because they know they will be in safe hands.

“You will find that most parents would entrust a woman to transport their children or fellow women since, Ms Ny’angore says, there is need for sensitisation programs and trainings for female boda boda riders to fight stigma.

“There is also need to assist women to own motorbikes even through soft loans.  For now, it is difficult to get financial assistance because of lack of security needed to secure the money,” says Ms Ny’angore.