There is no doubt the services provided by Boda-boda riders have changed the transport industry in the country. And in terms of job creation, the sector has played a major role in accommodating people from all walks of life. Despite the disappearing distinctions between the gender specific jobs in society, the Boda-boda business has mostly remained the domain of men. However, Naome Awero a resident of Katoke village in Kampala a suburb of Bwaise defied the stereotypes and made the descent living for herself as a Boda-boda rider. Awero is a married woman with one child. “...it is okay so far because I have got an accident once in my life and my client died then I survived, just on Lugogo Bypass.” Said, Naume Awero – Boda-boda Rider.
Before becoming a Boda-boda rider, Awero was a maid and later a security guard employed by a local security firm. “I was a baby sitter at Iganga road in Jinja and I was earning 25,000 per month.” Said, Awero. It is now four years since she joined the Boda-boda business and she is proud that she made a choice. Traveling around with Awero revealed that she was a careful and disciplined rider on the road. Indeed, there was a very big difference between the Boda-boda riders in terms of the discipline on the road and being careful. She said men enjoyed her riding them compared to women who feared a lot. “But with men, they feel so comfortable and happy. Say no, are you the one taking me, no. my first time, I want to go with the woman. So most of my customers are men.” Said, Awero. However, some men misbehaved and they tried to bully her. “Some of them find, may I have your number? Are you married? And if you turn to questioning me, are you married and what? I don’t answer you, I just keep quiet.” Said, Awero.
Boda-boda riders are so of the most targeted individuals by robbers, however, how has she managed to escape them? “I don’t exceed where you told me like to drop you. I don’t eat; you are a good rider, some soda, some drinks, and I say no. Then in certain café, I get for you chips; I say no, am okay I don’t eat chips.” Said, Awero. As a safe measure, Awero has blackspots she doesn’t operate from. “In Kololo, there is a building of the late Obote. Then Mackenzi valley, if you go to Bugolobi even during day, they collaborate. Kilombe, Nsambya; so dangerous, they can take you anytime, day and night, they do.” Said, Awero.
At a stage in Kamwokya, the riders praised her for being a very hardworking woman who loved her job. “Naome is a hardworking woman and cooperative.” “She is hardworking and in fact Naume is a very hardworking woman.” And her hard work paid off, she managed to construct a house out of this business. “Improve a lot, if I can get a piece of land in Kampala, have a house of three bedrooms in Kampala, my son is okay.” Said, Awero. a woman NGO started using her to inspire more women to get out of their comfort zones. “We want the number of role models to increase from the people we know and we want to show these ordinary women to the world. It’s like a connection of or a link as I told you. It is like a platform that is giving women.” Naome Awero’s story should be an inspiration to many women not to despise any job or consider their gender as an in pigment to specific types of employment.
