A nna Bhobho, a 31-year-old housewife from rural Zimbabwe, arrives at market, her electric tricycle laden with tomatoes. Bhobho was once a silent observer in her home, excluded fr

Electric tricycles are transforming the lives of some women in parts of rural Zimbabwe. They offer financial independence and social empowerment in a society long seen as deeply patriarchal.

Called Hamba, meaning “go” in Ndebele, the tricycles are powered by solar-charged lithium-ion batteries. Mobility for Africa, a local start-up, piloted the project in 2019 by leasing the vehicles to groups of women for US$15 a month. Today, women like Bhobho can own them through a lease-to-purchase program.

Anna Bhobho, a 31-year-old housewife from Wedza District, was once a silent observer in her home, excluded from financial and family decision-making in a deeply patriarchal society. Today, she is a driver of change in her village,