Riders for Health

Riders for Health Africa cannot hope to develop, to fight disease and to move out of the poverty trap if it continues to depend on walking, and on 13th-century forms of transport such as donkeys and hand-carts.

But neither can it develop if the 21st century vehicles sent by development agencies and others continue to break down after only a few thousand kilometres.

Riders for Health addresses this issue with a range of techniques to ensure vehicles operate for as long as they would anywhere in the developed world.

And at a normal, reasonable cost. Riders relationship with the Gambia began in 1989, when they carried out their first exploratory training projects.

In 2002 Riders and the Government of the Republic of Gambia signed a historic agreement: that the Gambia would outsource all its vehicle management (beginning with the Department of State for Health) to Riders.

Never before has an African government taken such a step.

The World Bank are lending set-up and running costs as part of their larger Participatory Health, Population and Nutrition Programme.

Riders Logistics operates through three transport management units, in Serekunda, Mansakonko and Bansang. As well as DoSH, the World Health Organisation and a number of NGOs have committed vehicles and motorcycles to the programme.