Bolt has partnered with the Kenya Red Cross to train boda boda riders in first aid and emergency response, starting with 75 riders in a programme targeting more than 500 participants within the first year.The riders completed a four-hour practical session led by the Kenya Red Cross Training Institute (KRCTI), covering basic first aid, emergency response, activating professional help, and road safety.The 75 riders were certified as Community First Aid Ambassadors and handed first aid kits after completing the training in Nairobi on Wednesday, September 23.The programme is based on the role boda boda riders play on Kenyan roads, where they can encounter road crashes and other emergencies while transporting passengers or moving through different communities.Arthur Gacharia, Bolt Senior Operations Manager, said the training was intended to give riders practical knowledge on what to do when they encounter an emergency while also helping them understand when professional assistance is required.“Safety is not only about what happens during a ride; it is also about how we equip the people within our ecosystem to contribute to safer communities,” Gacharia said.Monica Orero, Director of Training and Capacity Building at the Kenya Red Cross Training Institute, said riders could play an important role in the first moments after an emergency because of their presence on the roads.“You are our first responders on the scene. Anytime you go to a scene, the first person is a boda boda rider,” Orero said.The training did not qualify the riders as medical professionals. Instead, they were taught how to assess situations, provide basic assistance within the limits of their training, and activate professional emergency services.Some of the riders said they had previously avoided accident scenes because they did not know how to help, but said the training had given them more confidence to respond appropriately.Patrick Sakwa, one of the newly certified riders, said the lessons had improved his understanding of what he could do during an emergency and when to seek professional help.“I would like to extend my appreciation to Bolt and the Kenya Red Cross for organising this training. The session was very beneficial, and it has empowered us on how we can do the right thing when faced with emergencies,” Sakwa said.Jeremiah Githu said the training had also made him reflect on the death of a friend who suffered a heart attack, noting that he did not know how to perform CPR at the time.“I lost one of my friends due to a heart attack. Maybe if I could have had this training before, I could have at least saved a life because back then I did not know how to do CPR,” Githu said.Other riders called for the programme to be expanded to cover issues they encounter while working. Vincent Kyagulani, a Bolt rider for two years, suggested that future sessions include mental health and counselling because riders can be affected by witnessing road crashes.Alfred Sarinyo, a rider from Embakasi, said future training should also cover how to handle accidents involving electric motorcycles, while urging riders to remain disciplined and look out for each other on the road.Bolt and the Kenya Red Cross said the initial group will provide feedback that will be used to improve the programme before it is expanded, with more than 500 riders expected to receive the training within the first year.
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