A story of Grit, Leadership, and Persistence.

Here's how Borla Taxi is Empowering the Informal Sector. Part I

Leadership doesn't always come from formal titles or positions; true leaders can emerge from any background. Meet Lydia Bamfo, the CEO of Borla Taxi and Tricycles Association (BTTA), whose genuine desire for positive change in the informal sector has led to an historic step forward.

Core to Footprints’ mission is uncovering incredible grassroots leaders like Lydia and getting them access to the support they need to transform their communities.?

The informal sector collects 30 per cent of 3,000 tonnes of waste generated in the city of Accra in a day. The BTTA makes a profound contribution to this. However, the realities faced by their drivers and waste pickers were nothing to write home about. Riders had only 2 transfer stations in Accra, which closed at specific times therefore making it difficult to dispose of their waste after driving for longer hours to these sites. ?

?Most of them had no licenses which caused them to be constantly harassed by the police. They lacked resources to cater for the hospital expenses of some of the members who were involved in various road accidents.

Thieves stole their motors because of no proper parking sites, and the countless unfulfilled promises of government as well as threats form some government officials to withdraw the borla taxi from the system.???

Intimidation by bigger waste collection agencies necessitated the formation of the Association to facilitate the regularisation of their activities to gain support from the assemblies and various institutions. ?

Frustrated by many of these issues, Lydia signed BTTA up to Footprints’ B Corp programme. “We needed help. We lacked a lot of training and knowledge on how to address our issues and how to manage our operations” according to Lydia. ?

Through Footprints’ support, BTTA brought together drivers for intensive training and secured a partnership with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to secure driving licenses for their members. ?

Incredibly, 150 licenses were granted to 'borla' tricycle drivers to ensure they were not harassed by police officials as they went about their operations.

“I used to be afraid when I am riding, even though I am not doing anything wrong. But I'm not afraid anymore because I know the road rules and the lanes to use when I am riding. I am vigilant now and obey the traffic rules.”?- a tricycle rider.

But back to Lydia making history. Borla Taxi, after months of engagement with industry members (read: endless meetings), member trainings, a learning exchange to India and South Africa, initiatives to improve worker conditions, unfulfilled governmental promises,?a workers' strike, and numerous media engagements, after all these hurdles, the Mayor of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly inaugurated Borla Taxi as a Cooperative. ?

An exciting?transformation has unfolded, shining a spotlight on the resilience and leadership within the informal waste collection sector.

With the official inauguration of the Borla Taxi and Tricycle Cooperative Society by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Borla Taxi and Tricycle Association (BTTA) has now emerged as a united force that amplifies the voice of the informal sector. As a unified collective, they are poised to benefit from increased support and opportunities from donor groups, further empowering their mission and impact. ?

Written by: Priscilla Aki Okumo