His colleague, Alex, is married with 5 children, offering, “I can always pay my kids’ school fees, and save money to have other street stands.” Rampant theft and getting physically beaten are the fears he faces daily.
Onesmus Ahimbisibwe (27) is one of Tugende’s all-star boda drivers, having managed to be the fastest so far at paying off his bike loan — in an unprecedented time-frame of 8 months. As the chairman of the Kamwokya Stage, he is now working to pay off a second bike loan from Tugende. Currently he enjoys the extra income from renting out his first fully owned bike to one of his stage members. Like the others, Onesmus enjoys the boda boda driving because “it’s the only job I can get that lets me earn enough money on a daily, consistent basis.”
Tugende is helping to make significant shifts in the lives of these boda drivers through empowerment and trust. Perceptions of this hard-working group are likely to also change over time, as more people learn about the men behind the bodas. The escalating impact that Tugende is making is a testament to the positive action made possible through social entrepreneurship, passion, and faith in humanity.
Let’s go!
