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A scary ride, a feeling of violation, and a need for safety all combined to push Aisha Addo into creating DriveHer, a ridesharing service that caters only to women.
A Toronto-based technology organization for women run by women, it is a peer-to-peer ridesharing app that allows women riders to connect with women drivers.
it all started one night after work. After a long day, Aisha wanted to get home as soon as she could and as usual hailed a taxi. The ride did not go as she wanted it to. Instead, she was subjected to uncomfortable questions by the driver of the vehicle.
These questions, which included asking if she lived alone, had a boyfriend, left her in a state of fear. Though the ride ended without any major incident, it left Aisha feeling like her personal space was threatened, violated.
To solve this for herself and other women, to ensure they are as safe as can be in a taxi they are riding in, Aisha went to the drawing board and worked out the logistics tied to the creation of DriveHer.
The app, which launched in early 2018, has a built-in security for any woman that feels unsafe in her environment. The emergency button on the app sends live information, which would immediately alert the authorities.
Apart from the safety angle, it is a source of employment for women drivers who are underrepresented in the transportation industry. With DriveHer, the competition for places is less hectic as the men are not involved. The company hopes to be the primary channel of transportation for women everywhere.
Aisha saw a problem and solved it. With the increase in incidences of rape and other crimes against women and also a need to empower women through jobs, Aisha has created a platform with multiple positive effects on the society.
