Riders for Health wins prestigious socent award from Duke

Riders for Health has won The Centre for Advancement in Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) at Duke University's 'Award for Enterprising Social Innovation'...

Riders for Health is a social enterprise that manages and maintains vehicles in sub-Saharan Africa, enabling the delivery of vital health care to rural communities on a reliable and cost-effective basis.

The CASE Award recognises outstanding innovations that blend methods from the worlds of business and philanthropy to create sustainable social value that has the potential for large-scale impact. The award is granted by a committee of CASE faculty, staff and students.

By focusing on the fundamental building blocks of health care – transport, maintenance and skills – Riders for Health is helping to build strong, effective health systems and making sure health care reaches 12 million people across Africa.

Riders for Health manages over 1,400 motorcycles, ambulances and other four-wheel vehicles used in the delivery of health care in seven countries. By working with governments, international and African NGOs, private-sector and local community-based organisations, Riders for Health makes sure health workers can reach even the most remote communities.

As a social enterprise, Riders for Health prioritises how money can work differently in development and their groundbreaking not-for profit financial model ensures partners can budget effectively and transparently for transport. It also makes the system a corruption-proof solution for donors and ensures the sustainability of their programmes.

Barry and Andrea Coleman, co-founders of Riders for Health, are possionate about the vital need to improve transport to make sure medicines and healthcare reach rural Africa, and the role that social enterprise can play in making a sustainable difference to development.