E-cargo bikes drive health and sustainability in Uganda

DW (English)

Uganda's e-cargo bikes, backed by a national e-mobility plan, are powering health care, creating jobs and cutting pollution.

Transcript

00:00This nurse in Kasolwe, a village in eastern Uganda, is getting ready for today's mission,

00:06saving lives with jobs. Musamba Aisha has been working as a village nurse since 2002.

00:14Today, she's heading out with her new electric bike to vaccinate children.

00:19Her new ride gets her where she's needed quickly.

00:22The bike saves children's lives because parents often don't immunize their children

00:30because of the distance involved. With this bike, we can come straight to their homes.

00:37Before Aisha and her medical team got their electric bike, they used to travel from village

00:43to village on a regular bike to provide basic health services. The medical team's e-bike was

00:50a donation as a part of a government program designed to boost immunization rates. And now,

00:56Aisha can reach even more people every day.

01:04It takes me about a day to work with 30 to 40 children. The bike has helped me physically

01:11because I don't use as much energy riding up hills. It's the same whether the surface is sloping or flat.

01:18And I also use it privately for short journeys, which helps me save money on transport.

01:29Aisha's bike is designed for African roads. That means big tires, a sturdy frame and rack,

01:37and of course, a long-lasting battery. A reliable electricity supply is still problematic in rural areas.

01:44So the ability to charge with solar power is a huge advantage.

01:53The bikes have come to Uganda via the African bicycle NGO Fabio, which has partnered with Afri-Cruise

02:01from Germany, and they are manufactured in India. While Aisha was given the bike for the health campaign,

02:08they are usually leased, rented or bought.

02:13Juice vendor, Adam Chigeni in Jinja, took the planche and has customized his for mobile sales.

02:20The increased range lets him reach more customers, and it's paying off.

02:24I had a bike before with three tires, and my service used to delay a little bit because it was a manual bike.

02:33But now, since I've got this beast, it takes me just only within 20 minutes to 30, my juice is almost done.

02:42And the clients are really happy about this innovation that I've done a little bit, and it has really changed out of my life.

02:50The project partners have built a solar service hub in Jinja for repairs and battery swaps.

02:58Most service stations like this are planned in rural areas too,

03:01because such high-tech bikes are only useful if they can be properly maintained.

03:10Voluntary nurse Gerald Nyende works with Aisha some 85 kilometers north of Jinja.

03:17As he prepares to deliver fresh water for homes, he highlights the challenges of using e-bikes in such rural areas.

03:24The bike makes our work easier, but the spare parts are expensive.

03:30We have to travel a long way to get hold of them, 24 kilometers to Kamundi town, sometimes up to Jinja city.

03:38A single tire costs about 12 euros, and depending on the distance we are traveling,

03:44we need two batteries and a high-voltage solar panel for charging.

03:48The e-bike rollout has the support of the Ugandan government, but it hopes to produce more domestically.

03:56When it comes to local manufacturing, we have a target of 65 percent localization

04:00of all the products that we shall be doing, and right now, our current state, we are about 35 percent.

04:08Challenges remain, but the impact of the e-bikes is already visible.

04:12For business owners like Adam and health workers like Aisha, they are more than just a vehicle.

04:19They are tools for change.

04:21As the wheels keep turning, the bikes bring services where they are needed,

04:26help reduce emissions, and open new paths to clean mobility.

04:32Filming this e-mobility story has brought me up close with a number of green promoters in this community.

04:39And one of them is a lady called Aisha. She's able to accelerate and reach out to many people,

04:45serve many people, without impacting negatively on the environment.

04:50A gentleman called, locally is known here as the Juice Man.

04:54Adam Chigenyi with his interesting customized e-bike, it looks a bit bulky, but he shares the lanes

05:01with other road users without any interruption. I believe this is the way to go.

05:07This is the way to go in the green future, the green climate. This is the way to go in Jinja.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended