BAM trough E-motorbikes

BAM in Rwanda through E-Motorbikes!

At Equip Rwanda Ltd, we believe in innovation that creates real change — spritually, socially, economically and ecologically. We focus on micro-enterprises, particularly in the transport sector, and respond to a powerful transformation taking place in urban mobility across East Africa.

Context
In many African countries, there is a significant migration from rural areas to cities. In Rwanda, the average farmer owns approximately 0.3 hectares of land. Upon inheritance, this land is divided among the children, leaving far too little to build a sustainable livelihood. With minimal prospects in rural areas, young people are moving to the cities in large numbers. Over the past decade, the urban population has grown substantially, from 16.5% to 28% of the total population.

Urgency
Many of these young people have only completed lower or secondary education and lack vocational training. They often work as day laborers in households or construction, earning approximately €2.50 per day. Young men may also find work as motorcycle taxi drivers for wealthier Rwandans. These owners purchase a motorcycle and allow a young driver to drive it for €2.50 per day, requiring the driver to remit the remaining earnings to the owner. As a result, these young drivers never become owners themselves and are unable to build a sustainable future.

Enormous market opportunity
The Government of Rwanda has decided that only electric motorcycles will be permitted to operate in the capital going forward. This transition presents a tremendous opportunity to lift young people out of the cycle of poverty by enabling them to become entrepreneurs and owners of an e-motorbike. Currently, approximately 30,000 conventional motorcycles are still operating in the capital and will need to be replaced in the coming years. This creates a unique opportunity to improve the lives of thousands of young people.

The Solution of Equip Rwanda Ltd
To realize this vision, Equip Rwanda implements a hire-purchase model. Equip Rwanda finances the e-motorcycle and provides it on credit to the driver, who repays the loan with interest over a two-year period. At the end of this term, the driver becomes the full owner of the e-motorbike. This enables the driver to earn an average income of €6.50 per day. Over the next three years, we aim to scale to a system in which 500 young people per year receive a new motorcycle. Given the two-year repayment cycle, this means that on average 1,000 young entrepreneurs will be actively connected to Equip Rwanda each year.

Project: Business as Mission (BAM)
Equip Rwanda is an enterprise founded on Christian initiative. We therefore believe that these young people should not only be supported financially, but also equipped in entrepreneurship and spiritual development. Many of them have limited business knowledge and little understanding of what it means to live as a Christian in daily practice. Therefore, we focus on business knowledge (through training in how to develop a business plan) and coach them to live according to Biblical principles such as faith, hope, love, wisdom, justice, integrity, humility, and forgiveness. We will share Christian encouragement through social media, daily messages sent directly to the drivers’ phones, and short reflections displayed on TV screens in driver restaurants. At Equip Rwanda, business and mission truly go hand in hand — a fully integrated BAM enterprise.

Impact
The strength of this project lies in the synergy between multiple reinforcing impact areas. Your donation creates fourfold impact:

• Spiritual Impact: By encouraging drivers daily and sharing short spiritual teachings, we trust — in dependence on God — that this work will bear much fruit. Young people may come to faith and/or experience personal and spiritual growth.
• Economic Impact: Young people become independent entrepreneurs, own their motorcycle, and triple their income.
• Social Impact: With increased income, they can afford education, healthcare, and food for their families. A fair living wage in Rwanda is estimated at €5 per day; this model exceeds that threshold.
• Ecological Impact: The introduction of electric motorcycles reduces greenhouse gas emissions and contributes to a healthier urban environment.

“With Equip Rwanda Ltd, I was able to own a motorcycle that changed my life and increased my income.” – Ntwali Olivier

Project Costs
The two pillars of this project are entrepreneurship and faith. Equip Rwanda has calculated the project costs at €65 per driver. With this amount, we can make a transformative difference in a young person’s life. Instead of being exploited, they gain the opportunity to build a sustainable livelihood as an independent e-motorbike entrepreneur. To support 1,000 young people, we require €65,000 in donations in 2026. A gift of €65,000 invests in both the entrepreneurial and spiritual development of 1,000 e-motorbike taxi drivers.

If you prefer to invest in the acquisition of motorcycles, you may provide Equip Rwanda with a loan. Please contact MissionInvest for further details.

“Thanks to Equip Rwanda Ltd, I am able to pay my children’s school fees and provide for their well-being.” – Kayitare Basile

Recommendation by MissionInvest
MissionInvest has been involved with Equip Rwanda since 2021 by facilitating interest-free loans. The hire-purchase model has been successfully tested in other sectors where Equip Rwanda operates and is now ready for scaling and further deepening. MissionInvest is enthusiastic. Rarely do we see a project with such broad impact on spiritual, social, economic and ecological levels.

Are you looking for a business-driven project with meaningful added value? Consider supporting Equip Rwanda and help 1,000 e-motorbike drivers build a better future.