The road to more income in Uganda? Owning a motorcycle.
Uganda has one of the youngest , with almost of its citizens under the age of 25.
Despite representing a majority of the population, 62 percent of people under 30 are unemployed. Looking for work, many young men turn to driving motorbike taxis.
In the capital of Kampala alone, 100,000 of these bike taxis, known locally as boda-bodas, navigate the crowded city streets, weaving through traffic and zipping around tight corners.
But life as a boda-boda driver isn鈥檛 easy or safe. Along with the dangers of driving on crowded, unpaved roads, financial instability forces many to rent bikes鈥攍eaving little money left over to save and invest in their future.听
Enter Michael Wilkerson, who created a with his local business聽, which puts more money in the hands of those who need it most. After a two-week safety course, drivers in the program receive insurance, a passenger license, and a brand-new bike equipped with metal safety guards.
The best part: Tugende鈥檚 program allows drivers to eventually own their own bike with its lease-to-own payment plan.
The weekly payments take place over the course of 18 months and are only 15 to 20 percent above rental rates鈥攁nd once drivers own their bike, they鈥檙e looking at double the profits. The financial benefits often result in repeat customers as well, as men sell their now-owned bikes to invest in land or education.
The Tugende program has become so successful, Wilkerson is looking to expand into other cities. Currently, he reports 500 paying drivers鈥攚ith an additional 300 on a waiting list.
鈥� Samantha Cowan is a regular contributor for TakePart. She writes for a variety of online publications covering global development, music, and technology.
鈥� at , a leading source of socially relevant news, features, opinion, entertainment, and information 鈥� all focused on the issues that shape our lives. Visit .听
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