Kenya

Current work

In Kenya, Riders for Health has offices in Nairobi and Kisumu. From our workshop in Kisumu, we currently offer fleet management services in western and central Kenya on an outreach basis and we’re looking to expand to new locations. 

Riders’ transport management solutions can help your organisation to deliver health interventions more effectively.  

Mobilising outreach health workers

Riders currently mobilises health workers from eight community-based organisations (CBOs) across 16 districts in Kenya. Their focus ranges from HIV/AIDS care to the support of orphans, vulnerable children and marginalised groups, to water management and sanitation programmes. 

Through effective vehicle maintenance, Riders can increase the reach of these local care-giving groups, enabling the provision of regular health care services and empowering rural communities to take control of their own well-being.

Training

In 2011, Riders opened our second branch of The International Academy of Vehicle Management (IAVM) in Kisumu. Our registered driving school offers training in safe driving/motorcycle riding and preventive maintenance for learners and advanced users.

Partners

In Kenya, Riders’ expertise in vehicle management is helping to increase the capacity and reach of our health-related partners, allowing them to overcome one of their biggest barriers to delivering health care: transport.

  • Africa Infectious Disease Village Clinics (AIDVC)
  • Asumbi Mission Hospital
  • Bungoma Home Based Care and Support programme (Bungoma HBC)
  • Busia Family Life Education Programme
  • Family AIDS Care and Education Services (FACES)
  • International Medical Corps
  • Lwala Community Alliance
  • Nyabondo Mission Hospital
  • Support Activities In Poverty Eradication and Health (SAIPEH)
  • The Society for Woman and AIDS in Kenya (SWAK)
  • Vumilia

Health

Kenya has a population of almost 40 million, with an average life-expectancy of 60 years. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 8.4% of children will die before they reach their fifth birthday – with leading causes of death including diarrhoea and malaria. The threat of communicable diseases in Kenya is high. Here, 6.3% of the adult population are estimated to be living with HIV/AIDS. 

There are wide disparities in health care across Kenya, with ‘inadequate health infrastructure’ and ‘distribution inequalities’ cited as major challenges in system development, according to the WHO. Over 60% of Kenya’s population live in rural locations, yet just 14% of the road networks are paved. Characterised by hills, mud and clay tracks, travel is difficult. Without a reliable transport system in place, the delivery of even the most basic health care services is extremely difficult.

History

Riders began working in Kenya in 2002 with African Infectious Diseases Village Clinics (AIDVC). 

In 2007, we expanded into western Kenya and trained two volunteers from our community-based partner, Vumilia, to train other health workers in safe riding and preventive vehicle maintenance. 

Riders registered as a Kenyan non-governmental organisation (NGO) in December 2009 and we are currently looking to establish additional partnerships, extending our services across the country.

Impact data

Each week, an extra 20,000 people across Kenya can be reached by health workers because of Riders’ motorcycles. A fully mobilised health worker is able to travel further to reach more isolated areas. They are also able to spend double the amount of time in the communities because they don’t waste hours travelling between villages.

Read more about our impact >

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Kenya

Started

2002

Technicians

3

Workshops

1

Kilometers
per month

50.5k

Population covered

5.1m

Programme Director: Irene Sakura

Irene joined Riders for Health in 2010 as a business graduate with experience in project management and has been guiding the growth of our Kenya programme.

Contact us

If you would like to discuss how Riders can support you, then please get in touch:

Enquiry form
The Riders motorcycle is like an eye opener. After reaching so many people, [HIV/AIDS] stigmatization has gone down. Those who were suffering from opportunistic infections have been treated and the community is more informed. Society for Women and AIDS in Kenya (SWAK), Nyanza Province