Bolt, a popular mobility application, has made a significant commitment of €2.5 million to empower and support more women drivers on its platform and other ride-hailing services.
The company unveiled its latest initiative, called “Women at the Wheel,” aimed at addressing the glaring
gender imbalance within the mobility sector. Bolt intends to tackle the under-representation of women and provide them with additional earning opportunities by encouraging them to work as drivers on ride-hailing platforms.
Venus Lim, Bolt’s Director of Central Operations for Ride hailing, emphasized the significant disparity faced by women in the mobility industry, stating, “Women are under-represented in many aspects of society, but the inequality is particularly pronounced in the mobility sector. There are numerous reasons why women may not consider becoming drivers, and this campaign aims to raise awareness about the biases and prejudices that exist against female drivers.”
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Lim further highlighted the importance of enabling women to access flexible and independent work on platforms like Bolt, particularly in the current economic climate where living costs are rising for everyone.
The launch of the “Women at the Wheel” campaign coincides with the release of survey results from Bolt, which involved 2,000 women across four countries in Europe and Africa. The survey revealed that nearly 90% of women reported an increase in their living costs over the past year. In response, a vast majority of the surveyed women (93%) expressed their search for additional income opportunities during the same period. Surprisingly, only 7.2% of them considered working as ride-hailing drivers to earn extra money.
Yahaya Mohammed, Country Manager of Bolt Rides in Nigeria, highlighted Bolt’s commitment to empowering women in the ride-hailing industry. He mentioned the company’s Women in Tech internship program, which offers young women a three-month paid internship in the tech and ride-hailing fields. The program, now in its third year, provides valuable mentorship opportunities by top women leaders in Bolt.
Mohammed emphasized Bolt’s dedication to achieving gender equality and empowering women, as outlined in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 5. He believes that Bolt has a unique opportunity to contribute to bridging the gender gap by providing self-employment opportunities for women in the digital e-hailing space.
Through the “Women at the Wheel” campaign, Bolt aims to offer more viable economic opportunities to women in Nigeria, ultimately fostering their empowerment. Additionally, the campaign is being implemented across eleven countries, including Azerbaijan, Nigeria, Romania, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Portugal, Poland, Slovakia, Croatia, Latvia, and Estonia.
Bolt remains committed to its drivers and recognizes their integral role in the company’s growth. By promoting gender equality and supporting women’s economic empowerment, Bolt strives to make a positive impact on both the industry and the lives of women in the communities it serves.
Seunmanuel Faleye is a brand and communications strategist. He is a covert writer and an overt creative head. He publishes Apple's Bite International Magazine.