KISUMU, Kenya — A women-led motorcycle transport initiative known locally as the Boda Girls is helping pregnant women in western Kenya reach clinics and maternity wards faster, addressing what health workers describe as a critical but frequently overlooked contributor to preventable maternal and newborn deaths: the lack of safe, timely transport.
The programme, launched in 2022, operates in Siaya, Kisumu and Homa Bay counties, areas where long distances, poor road networks and the cost of commercial transport can delay antenatal appointments and emergency referrals, particularly at night or during heavy rains.
Nancy Akeyo, CEO of Boda Girls Kenya, said transport gaps remain an underappreciated constraint on both women’s health outcomes and economic empowerment in rural communities, where reaching a facility can be logistically difficult and financially out of reach for many households.
Beyond access, many mothers cite trust and comfort as key reasons for using the service. Maureen Achieng, a mother in the region, told Africanews she prefers being taken to hospital by a woman, saying her family feels more confident with a female rider than a male motorcyclist.
Africanews reported that the riders are trained not only in motorcycle operations but also in basic maternal health support and patient handling, with some participants drawn from the community health workforce. The Boda Girls organisation says the model is designed to build women’s livelihoods while improving access to essential services, including maternal health transport.
Public health experts link such “last-mile” barriers to elevated mortality in pregnancy and childbirth, where delays in reaching skilled care can turn manageable complications into emergencies. Kenya’s maternal mortality ratio remains high; UNFPA notes that, given annual births, nearly 5,000 women and girls die each year from pregnancy and childbirth complications. UNICEF Kenya data also indicate substantial newborn mortality—about 33,600 newborn deaths annually—underscoring the scale of preventable loss around delivery and the first weeks of life.
Organisers and health workers stress that motorcycle transport initiatives are not a substitute for ambulances, stronger referral systems or better-equipped facilities. However, they argue the model can close a decisive gap: for women who rely on it, a trusted rider arriving quickly can mean the difference between reaching care in time—or not.
