How your support makes a difference
Put simply, the mobility of public health workers can mean the difference between life and death. At Riders for Health we make your money go the furthest we possibly can, ensuring we reach the maximum number of people. What ever amount you can give is guaranteed to make its mark on Africa’s future. These are just some examples of how you could help:
| $2 could buy a spark plug to keep a motorcycle engine running | 
| $6 could buy an air filter for a Honda XL125 |
| $30 could provide 40 families with a year of health care visits | 
| $50 could help train one health worker in essential bike maintenance |
| $100 could help provide replacement parts and servicing for a year | 
| $120 could keep a health worker on the road for a month |
| $500 could provide a community health worker with the protective clothing they need to make sure they are safe | 
| $700 could buy tools for an outreach technician so they can provide regular maintenance to the health workers’ vehicles |
| $2,900 could buy an Africa health worker a Yamaha AG100 enabling them to reach thousands of people with regular health care | 
| $3,200 could provide a workshop with a tool-chest complete with appropriate tools, enabling technicians to carry out the regular servicing that is central to Riders’ programs |
Manyo’s story
‘Before I had the motorcycle, I had to walk or hire a donkey cart to visit my villages. Many of the communities would not see me for a month or more. But now I can visit them at any time of the day or night, and they see me at least once a week.’
Manyo Gibba is a community health nurse in the Gambia. Based in the village of Medina Serign Mass, half a day’s drive from the Gambian capital, Banjul, she cares for nearly 20,000 people in 14 villages. For the last four years, her tough job has been made easier by a simple motorcycle, maintained by Riders for Health.
The furthest village on Manyo’s rounds is 12miles away from her home. On foot, this would be at least a day’s journey, but with the motorcycle she can be there in less than an hour.
‘In the past, I wasn’t able to take part in the national campaigns on immunization or bed-net dipping,’ says Manyo, ‘but now I can reach all my villages to carry out this work. I can also visit the schools to provide health education and advice.
While Manyo’s role is to provide regular, routine health care, she is also a vital lifeline in an emergency, thanks to her motorcycle.
‘One night I was called to a village where a woman was experiencing a very bad labor,’ she explains. ‘With my motorcycle I reached the village very quickly. I discovered that the baby was breech and was able to help the woman have a safe delivery. If I had gone by foot I would not have got there in time and the woman would probably have lost her life.’
Over two thirds of Gambians receive their health care from outreach workers just like Manyo. In an area with few health facilities to call on, Riders’ work is essential in providing health care to the thousands of people isolated by distance and harsh terrain.
By supporting the work of Riders for Health, you will enable even more health workers to give the people of Africa the chance to look forward to a healthier future. Please click here to make a donation today.