Women and Transport Africa Conference - 2021

" WIT offered my start-up (Wow Mom Ltd) an international platform to showcase work. We were able to present our feasibility study on “Implication of lack of baby changing facilities to access of space by children and caregiver” to a wider audience and that was key in applying subsequent grants for our project implementation. We secured funding via Duke-UNICEF accelerator program that will not only enables us to install baby changing facilities in public toilets in Nairobi but scale our organization and impact "

“ WIT conference is a great platform, especially for women social entrepreneurs working toward solving urban challenges. Through these networks, you can learn from other organizations working on similar projects and get advice on how to leapfrog some challenges. You also receive positive criticism, encouragement, and support to help grow and scale your organization.”

"I went through domestic violence because of working in the transport sector as a matatu conductor from my then-husband who did not like it at all. I had to quit my marriage and concentrate on work to help me raise money to support my children and my extended family. Right now am a single mother of two. I support my children through school and have built a house for my mum. I am so proud of this job."

"I went through police harassment as a female matatu conductor. They were so brutal to me and I did quit the industry for a while. I decide to run for office as assistant secretary-general for Matatu Workers Union; which was characterized by gender discrimination and harassment. Unfortunately, I did not make it. I am currently serving as a volunteer gender secretary with the Ummoiner Sacco."

"I am not proud of my past job before I joined the transport sector. I currently have over 15 years years in the transport sector. I have managed to take my children through school with my firstborn pursuing a car automotive engineering course. I can say my son looks up to me, he is proud of my job and wants to work in the transport sector just like me. I believe through this job I have inspired my children and other women in transport ."

"The transport sector has been so beneficial to me I started by being employed and managed to save some amount of money that allowed me to secure a loan at a bank. I bought my first tuk-tuk. I continued to save and now I own three tuk-tuks. I drive one of the tuk-tuks while I have employed two people to drive the other tuk-tuks. I am looking forward to expanding my business and owning a fleet of tuk-tuks."

"I am a TukTuk Owner, a driver and a mother. My main source of income is the tuk-tuk business. I also like mentoring young women and girls in the transport sector. My greatest happiness is to see women succeed in the sector. I try as much as possible to support them to minimize the investments huddles for them. "

“Thanks so much to Flone Initiative..I never knew you existed until I became among the K.B.S. conductor’s trainees. It’s because of Flone that I now have road experience, I wore a gown while graduating, I attended big hotels, met different ladies in the transport sector and most importantly, I attended a worldwide conference. I lack words to express my gratitude and I promise I'll work hard in the transport sector n achieve what I want in life even if things are hard. Again I say thanks to the Flone fraternity God bless u.”

As a driver, the conference trainings have given me confidence because I know my rights as a woman on the road

The Conference has really helped me. I saw women who were drivers in the big city and own fleet and I got encouraged. I drive around the city very well. Flone thank you for the platform and opportunity to realize my potential.

• I have really benefited by being able to express myself. The first conference I attended at Nairobi University helped me meet fellow women in the industry and encouraged me to know that this job is like any other. I met so many friends who are in touch up to date and having the passion of helping elderly, people living with disabilities. That moved me to go and learn skills of handling people with different disabilities which attained me a certificate of home based care. The second one gave me a chance to go to India and had chances to mingle with different people. The third one oooh my I have never been interviewed online that was my first time and it was so challenging using earphone. Best of all, this encouraged me to move a step forward and owned a matatu that means am a boss on my own glory to the almighty God .LIVE LONG FLONE