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.

In rural Zimbabwe, electric tricycles are providing women with an opportunity to transform their lives

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.