Two ladies who ride motorcycle taxis, commonly known as boda-bodas, in Western Equatoria State’s Yambio County have called on well-wishers to support their work.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj at the weekend, the duo said they were happy with their work which is mostly the preserve of male riders.
Mary Hipaingba said she started doing boda-boda work in Yambio Town in 2015 after she lost her father and had no one to fend for her and her siblings. She added that she owns no motorcycle and uses those of friends and other boda-boda riders who are resting and insists that she would make more money if she owned her motorbike.
“The reason why I started the boda-boda work is because I was in bad condition. I lost my father and my mother had no job so things were not easy,” he narrates. “Riding a boda-boda is not the first work I did because I started by making chapatis in a restaurant then I requested to work with certain boda-boda riders who taught me how to ride until I learned and now ride passengers well.”
According to Hipaingba, she makes between SSP 40,000 and 50,000 a day and appeals to any well-wisher to support her business growth.
“The challenge we are facing is that me and my friend Estella do not have our motorbikes. If we owned bikes, we would not suffer like we are doing and we would not complain but make a lot of money,” she stated. “We appeal to people who can help us acquire motorcycles to come to our aid so that we do our work, earn money, and be happy.”
Another female boda-boda rider in Yambio Town’s Masiah Market, Estella Nanvoyo, also said she does not own a motorbike otherwise she would make more money to look after her family because she is the sole breadwinner.
Speaking to this publication in Zande language, Nanvoyo who is a mother of two children, said the government should support women who are trying to work and survive in male-dominated fields.
“If a husband fails to provide, then the wife can help if she is working. The help I need from good people out there is a motorbike which I can use for work to take care of my children and family,” she said. “I advise women not to shun the work we are doing because it helps me and my friend survive and we do not disturb our husbands for feeding and other money when we have our own money.”
“What we do earns us money to buy things like lotion, soap, and other basics and any women who want to join us are welcome and we will join hands together to do the work,” Nanvoyo added.