InfraCo Africa, a subsidiary of the Private Infrastructure Development Group (PIDG), has committed $2 million to expand the offering of Mobility for Africa, an electric mobility company that provides affordable, cargo-carrying e-tricycles and solar-powered battery charging solutions to underserved communities in rural Zimbabwe.
“We are grateful to InfraCo Africa for this investment and their vote of confidence,” said Shantha Bloemen, Director and CEO of Mobility for Africa. “It will allow us to show how our fleet management system can be replicated in a variety of rural communities. However, it also indicates that rural women, our primary customer, should no longer be ignored and recognizes the critical role they play in agricultural and economic development. Mobility for Africa understands that by providing green shared mobility solutions to rural communities, particularly women, we can catalyze local economic activity, reduce gender inequality, and contribute to climate change resilience.”
in the way of a specific person or a specific person or a specific person or a specific person or a specific person or a specific person or a specific individual or a specific individual or a specific individual or a specific individual or a specific individual or a specific individual. Reduced travel times and access to markets in larger towns allow farmers to sell their produce at higher prices while also minimizing post-harvest losses, thereby supporting SDG 2.
‘Hambas’ are also used by healthcare professionals to reach patients across large geographical areas and rough terrain. The vehicles can also transport firewood, water, and passengers, easing the energy and time burden on women who are primarily responsible for domestic labor. The vehicles are comfortable for women to drive because they lack a straddle bar.
“We are delighted to be working with Mobility for Africa to scale its exciting electric tricycle and solar-powered battery charging offering in rural Zimbabwe,” said InfraCo Africa’s Business Development Manager, Beatrice Muthoni, “As the first African off-road e-tricycle, ‘Hambas’ will transform access to affordable, clean transport enabling people to reach employment, education and healthcare as well as to transport goods to market and to support domestic labour. InfraCo Africa brings expertise to the project from our electric mobility investments in Kenya and Uganda. This is our first investment in Zimbabwe and we look forward to partnering with Mobility for Africa to scale its solution to addressing rural transport needs in the country.”
Visiting Domboshawa, the British Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Melanie Robinson said, “ I am delighted by news of this InfraCo Africa investment in Mobility for Africa, a woman-led start-up doing a great job providing climate-friendly transport to small scale Zimbabwean farmers, many of them women. Mobility for Africa’s Hamba electric tricycles are designed with women users in mind – I can testify to that as I’ve had a chance to ride one! We’d love to see much more green finance investing in Zimbabwe’s private sector.”
InfraCo Africa’s investment will finance four hundred new Hambas, six hundred batteries and eight new charging stations at strategic locations across eastern Zimbabwe. It is anticipated that the project will significantly scale Mobility for Africa’s business, enabling it to engage with more small scale farmers, especially women and grow the business case that by partnering with agricultural partners, it can demonstrate the financial sustainability and socio-economic impact of its model.
It is anticipated that the company will then be well-positioned to attract further private sector finance with a view to scaling its offering to other customer groups and to new geographies across the region.
