Sierra Leonian women turn to rickshaw driving to survive

As formal employment remains scarce in the country, a growing number of women are finding ways to earn a living through the informal economy.

“What motivated me to start riding a kekeh is that I graduated from college but have been unable to find a job,” said driver Alimatu Kamara.

In Freetown, Sierra Leone, a growing number of women are turning to kekeh driving as they seek new opportunities in a challenging job market.

With youth unemployment and underemployment hovering between 60% and 70%, the informal economy has become a vital lifeline.

Besides employing women, The kekeh has emerged as the most feasible alternative for public transport, bridging the gap between congested city centers and underserved neighborhoods.

Marfoh Mariama Samai, a Women and Youth Advocate at Plan International, said women are an active part of the country’s labor market, but they often work in marketplaces that have very little earning potential - even compared to rickshaw driving.

The country’s labor ministry puts women’s participation in the formal labor market at less than 30%, with women earning only a fraction of what men earn.

The informal sector, which includes rickshaw driving, is harder to track. But it offers women like Alimatu, one of many young Sierra Leoneans facing unemployment, a way to make a living.