Female rickshaw drivers in Sierra Leone rise above stigma to earn a living and empower women

Hawa Mansaray, a rickshaw driver waits in line in Freetown, Sierra Leone, March 7, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdul Hamid Kanu) 2026-04-11T06:15:49Z Freetown, Sierra Leone (AP) — As the late afternoon sun settles over Freetown’s main transit park, Hawa Mansaray pulls up her motorized three-wheeled vehicle and steps away for a break and to pray. Mansaray is one of a small but growing number of women entering a male-dominated commercial transport sector in Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown. The auto-rickshaws, known locally as kekeh, are an essential means of transport and until recently were almost exclusively driven by men. “I have done different jobs since I came to Freetown but kekeh has done more for me,” said the 27-year-old single mother of one. The rickshaws have become increasingly popular in Sierra Leone, filling the gaps in a strained public transport system as the West African country struggles to recover from its 1991-2002 civil war. Freetown’s population has grown to more than 1.5 million, according to city estimates — roughly three times the size it was when much of its infrastructure was planned and built. Public transport systems have struggled to keep up, creating demand for commercial motorcycles and auto-rickshaws. Although the rickshaws are usually rickety, run at minimal speed, and are considered less safe due to the maximum exposure that comes with how they’re built, commuters still prefer them because they’re easily accessible and offer maximum ventilation and relative comfort. As more people turn to the rickshaws to earn a living, it’s also become a symbol of what women are capable of. (