Shantha Bloemen first saw Hambas in China when she worked there for UNICEF. Seeing women’s mobility challenges in Zimbabwe, she came up with the idea of importing the tricycles from China, where they are widely used.

Now she runs Mobility for Africa, a social enterprise that brings affordable solar-powered electric transport solutions to rural communities. Known as “hambas” from the Ndebele word for “go”, the tricycles can carry loads of up to 400 kilograms, powered by a swappable lithium-ion battery that lasts about 100 kilometers on a single charge. 

The tricycles are imported from China as kits and then assembled and modified to suit local conditions at a factory in Harare.