Young men living in a Nairobi slum formally named Korogocho (but called Dirt Island because of a new paved circular road around the slum) who once were criminals are now becoming "biker boys". Biker Boys are essentially motor cycle taxis. This form of transportation is ideal in several ways, the narrow bikes can more easily fit the tight passages found in the slums, they are very fuel efficient (keeping profit margins higher for taxi operators) and they are fast. Though at first slum residents were hesitant to use these motorcycle taxi services once they began to see the advantages it became a very common practice to the point that today even businessmen and civil servants use the taxis.
There are some negatives to this system as well. Many young men cannot afford to buy a motorcycle so they rent them for a around 400 shillings a day (a good day will bring in about 1000 shillings). At the same time, used motorcycles are not prohibitively expensive so it is very possible to save the profits and purchase a bike later on. The rough roads and often poor conditions of the bikes means that some of the profits must go to repairs. On the up side the new road built around the slum reduces wear on the bikes due to a much more consistent driving surface.
What I think is important about this development is the fact that it is an initiative developed by the young people within the slum, not instigated by an outside party. This means that these young people are thinking about how they can improve their own conditions and those of the slum in general instead of turning to crime.
Tristan Roberton
November 9 2010
citation:
Bradshaw, By Steve. "BBC News - Nairobi's Motorbike Boys Improving Their Own Slum." BBC News - Home. Web. 09 Nov. 2010. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8913543.stm>.
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