Many of our country programmes have been running for over 30 years, but in some countries programmes have ceased or been run by other local organisations for a variety of reasons.
The countries where our programmes have continued, successfully for many decades are in those where a strong relationship has been successfully established with the government in that country who have committed to the value of working with Riders to deliver health services.
See below the full list of countries we have worked in since Riders began and the history of activity there.
Democratic republic of Congo (2000-2006)
Supported the training of motorcycle riding and maintenance in DRC. Riders worked with the MoH and other health related NGO’s to ensure the health professional get to where they are required.
Ghana (1993-1994)
Riders worked on a stand alone project in Ghana training motorcycle riders for the Ministry of Health.
Kenya (2002-2016)
We partnered with faith based organisations to train HIV positive women ride motorcycles so they could reach communities with valuable education. They women were trained (by another organisation) in how to help women who were stigmatised because they had HIV. They educated and supported them in terms of nutrition, HIV treatment and management of their condition as well as helping them find and sustain income generation.
Ultimately the Riders programme in Kenya ended as it was not embraced by the MoH and Riders programmes cannot work long term without a government partnership.
Liberia (2014 – 2020)
In 2014 the Liberian Ministry of Health invited Riders representatives to assess the potential for developing a Riders programme in the country. Shortly afterwards the Ebola crisis hit Riders intervened to put in place a nationwide disease surveillance system to ensure that any outbreak could be quickly identified and dealt with.
The Ebola outbreak in 2014 showed the world that reliable transport is essential to a strong and far-reaching health system and Riders for Healths worked to rebuild and strengthen the health system nationwide delivering vehicle-management services in support of the Ministry of Health’s surveillance and outreach healthcare services since.
Riders for Health Liberia has now been taken over by a locally run organisation.
Tanzania (2003-2015)
Supported the training and management of vehicles and motorcycles Riders worked with the Ministry of Health.
Uganda (1990-1991)
Supported the training of motorcycle riding in Uganda. Riders worked with the MoH and other health related NGO’s.
Zambia (2009-2016)
We worked in the Eastern province and Southern province mobilising community health workers to reach rural communities. We had to withdraw from Zambia as central government could not take over the core running costs, essential for the long term success of a Riders programme.
Zimbabwe (1998-2016)
International Academy of Vehicle Management (IAVM) in Harare, Zimbabwe
Started in 1993 this Riders programme ran with great success for many years. We ran the entire Ministry of Health (MoH) fleet of ambulances and motorcycles for outreach and it was in Zimbabwe that we established our International Academy of Vehicle Management (IAVM), based just outside Harare, which offered training in road safety, vehicle management and maintenance. The academy was an international centre of excellence in rider and driver training for health workers.
The Zimbabwe programme ground to halt due to political and economic collapse in the country.
