This blog was created with support from Youth4Climate, an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security.

In the heart of Liberia’s bustling capital, a quiet transformation is underway. For decades, Monrovia’s transport system has relied on inefficient, noisy, and fossil-fuel-powered tuk-tuks. Traditional tuk-tuks rely entirely on imported fuel, which is expensive, polluting, and unreliable due to frequent shortages and climate-related disruptions. Most drivers are men, and women face social, financial, and safety barriers to participating in the sector. Emergi solves this by deploying a fleet of electric tuk-tuks (locally known as kekehs), powered by solar energy, and operated exclusively by trained women drivers. These vehicles emit 95.5% less CO₂ and cost 72% less to operate than their fossil-fuel counterparts. 

More importantly, today, they give you a snapshot into the future, the hum of an electric kekeh instead of the cacophony of vehicles with combustion engines. These kekehs are powered by the sun and driven by empowered women!  

With the support of the Youth4Climate initiative, my team and I at Emergi Liberia are piloting a bold model of climate-resilient urban mobility. Our electric tuktuks are designed and assembled through a unique Global South-Global South partnership, powered by sunlight, and operated exclusively by a growing community of empowered women drivers.

Women Behind the Wheel

Before I co-founded Emergi Liberia, there were no formal women drivers in the commercial transport sector. We changed that with our first cohort of drivers. 

In November of 2024, after being awarded by the Youth4Climate programme, my team and I had a clear goal ahead of us. There were going to more drivers and new electric tuktuks driving through the streets of Liberia. This was a project with many moving parts and timely action was critical to achieving impact on the ground. With an upgraded batch electric tuktuks getting ready to be shipped from our supplier in Pakistan, we launched our “Driver-Finds-Driver” campaign. Thorough the first cohort, we invited applicants to submit motivation videos and encouraged peer recruitment. From a pool of 30 selected candidates, 15 women completed a rigorous, custom-built training program.

Our training is not limited to vehicle handling but covers a variety of topics like personal leadership, road safety and traffic rules, personal finance management, and digital training, among others. Through a skills gap survey, we are working to adapt our training modules to meet the needs of our drivers. 

And most powerfully, the first cohort now trains the next, stepping into leadership as “Kekeh Captains.”

From Harbour to Office

With the new drivers being trained, the next big milestone was the shipment of semi-knockdown (SKD) vehicles from Pakistan. These vehicles have been developed in close collaboration with the team at Sazgar to meet the needs of the West African road conditions. However, shipping these vehicles were not without challenges. Shipping took longer than expected, and complications at the port resulted in a higher fees to get vehicle clearance. However, after much anticipation the vehicles were transported from the Port of Monrovia, safely to our premises.

Technicians from Pakistan slowly brought the tuk-tuks to life piece by piece, working together with our local team, an example of Global South-Global South partnerships! I made sure that the drivers and the Sazgar team also had a moment to exchange knowledge. The technicians could offer tips to the drivers to increase the efficiency of the batteries, and the drivers could give critical feedback from a user perspect. Technical knowledge aside, culinary exchange was just as important, as I also enjoyed Pakistani breakfast every morning courtesy of the Sazgar team.

‍Solar-Powered, Locally Optimized

The next technical milestone came with the installation of our first 8.8kWp solar charging station. It was designed in partnership with local and regional partner Easy Solar and collaboration with a system engineering student team from TU Delft, a Dutch technical university. The system includes 16 photovoltaic panels and four lithium-ion batteries, installed in a hybrid off-grid configuration. A Victron inverter ensures seamless energy flow, while a battery bank on the ground floor. The charging protocol is customized to the needs of the operation. A smart dashboard helps my team track solar production, battery status, and grid fallback, allowing our team to dynamically manage charging without relying on Monrovia’s unreliable power grid.

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Our solar charging station forms the backbone of our operations. With scheduling based on solar forecasts, peak traffic, and driver feedback, we’ve reduced operation costs, vehicle down time and slashed reliance on the unstable grid.

Driving Liberia’s Future — One Ride at a Time

Emergi tuk-tuks and our charming drivers are now a visible part of the city, offering reliable, clean transport to schools, hospitals, and markets. We supported the Liberia Marathon with electric mobility solutions and welcomed the EU Delegation for a ride. Slowly we are growing, community trust is growing, and we are gathering a list of women who are keen to join our fleet. Drivers employed by Emergi earn on average 13.4 $/day after paying their daily lease fee. 

Lessons Learned and What Comes Next

We’ve learned that training needs to be iterative and hands-on. That peer mentorship boosts retention. That women drivers aren’t just capable, they’re catalysts for community change.

Challenges like import delays, cultural norms, and grid instability persist, but we’ve built adaptive systems to respond. Now, we’re preparing to scale: more vehicles, modular solar hubs, advanced app features, and deeper capacity-building across West Africa.

Join the Movement

Emergi Liberia’s model isn’t just about mobility, it's about agency, equity, and the power of local solutions to address global climate challenges. We don’t just deal in the business of sustainable mobility, but also upward social mobility. Drivers can advance to trainers, fleet managers, and key roles within Emergi, while becoming change-makers in their communities. With every ride, our women drivers move the country closer to a cleaner, more inclusive future.