A Smile That Commands the Road: 23-year-old Sarah Ishimwe behind the wheel of her RITCO bus. From riding motorcycle taxis to navigating Kigali’s busiest routes, she is driving a new narrative for women in East Africa’s transport sector.

Sarah Ishimwe hardly looks like someone who would be steering a large city bus through the busy streets of Kigali.

Petite, soft-spoken and often smiling, the 23-year-old driver easily surprises many commuters. For many passengers boarding the bus for the first time, there is a brief moment of hesitation—some instinctively expect to see an older, physically imposing man behind the wheel of such a large machine.

But that doubt lasts only a moment.

Once the engine roars to life and the bus pulls out of the station, Ishimwe takes full command of the wheel, confidently guiding dozens of passengers along the bustling Downtown–Nyacyonga route. In a city where traffic, tight stops and packed schedules demand both skill and concentration, she handles the task with calm focus—proving that determination often outweighs expectation.

Her journey to the driver’s seat began far from Kigali, in Kirehe District, about 150 kilometers east of the capital, where she grew up. After completing her secondary education in Mathematics, Economics and Geography (MEG), Ishimwe moved to Kigali in August 2021, carrying with her a dream that had quietly taken root years earlier.

Unlike many professional drivers, she had no role model in the family to follow.

Yet the passion for driving seemed to come naturally.

“I grew up with a passion for driving,” she recalls. “Even as a child, I imagined myself driving big vehicles one day. No one in my family had ever been a driver, but the interest was always inside me.”

Turning a Passion into a Profession

Ishimwe’s journey toward professional driving began in 2024, when she decided to take her first formal step and enrolled in motorcycle training.

Through a women’s empowerment initiative that covered the cost of her lessons and examinations, she was able to complete the program and obtain a permanent Category A motorcycle driving license that same year.

The support did not stop there. The program also enabled her to acquire a motorcycle through a loan scheme. With it, Ishimwe began transporting passengers across Kigali as a motorcycle taxi rider, gradually repaying the loan while sharpening her riding skills and building confidence on the road.

For nearly a year and a half, she navigated the city’s busy streets on two wheels. Today, the motorcycle continues to generate income after she entrusted it to another rider while she focuses on her new career path.

But for Ishimwe, riding a motorcycle was never the final destination—it was only the beginning.

At the start of 2025, she enrolled in a driving school to expand her skills. Her progress was swift. By February, she had obtained Category B, allowing her to drive small vehicles.

“After getting Category B, I realized everything was possible. I asked myself why I shouldn’t go further,” she says with a confident smile.

Motivated to keep advancing, she continued her training. By April 2025, she had passed the test for Category D, which permits drivers to operate medium-sized passenger vehicles such as minibuses.

Still determined to take on even bigger machines, Ishimwe went a step further and obtained Category D1—qualifying her to drive passenger buses and bringing her closer to the career she had long envisioned.

Finally Behind the Wheel

Even after earning the necessary qualifications, stepping into a professional driving job did not happen overnight. Ishimwe continued operating her motorcycle taxi while persistently applying for driving positions, determined to move closer to her dream.

Her patience eventually paid off when she was recruited by Rwanda Interlink Transport Company (RITCO), one of the companies providing public transport services in Kigali and across the country.

Before getting behind the wheel, Ishimwe joined other newly recruited drivers for two weeks of intensive training designed to familiarize them with the large passenger buses—vehicles capable of carrying up to 70 passengers.

Her first days on the road were spent alongside an experienced driver who guided her through the route and helped her adjust to the responsibility of handling such a large vehicle.

It did not take long for her confidence to grow.

Soon, Ishimwe was driving on her own. Today, she confidently navigates the Downtown–Nyacyonga route, steering through Kigali’s busy streets and steadily earning recognition as one of the youngest bus drivers on the road.

Breaking Stereotypes on the Road

Not everyone immediately believes she is the driver when they first see her.

“Sometimes I sit in the driver’s seat waiting for departure time without my uniform, and passengers ask where the driver is. When I put on the uniform and start the bus, they are shocked and ask, ‘You are the one driving us?’” she says with a smile.

Her youthful appearance often surprises passengers. Some jokingly call her a child, while others wonder whether she is even old enough to hold an identity card.

Rather than letting the comments discourage her, Ishimwe treats them as moments to prove a point.

“Because I’m a woman and I look young, people sometimes doubt me. But once they see me drive, they realize it’s possible,” she says.

Many passengers, especially women, respond with admiration once they realize she is the driver.

“In fact, many women passengers tell me they are proud to see a woman doing this job,” she adds. “They say it shows that we are capable too.”

Driving Toward Bigger Dreams

For Ishimwe, driving a city bus is not the final destination—it is another step on a much longer road.

Her ultimate dream is to one day own a passenger vehicle and run her own transport business, creating opportunities not only for herself but also for others.

At her workplace, she is known for her commitment and professionalism. Operations Manager Théogène Bazumutima describes her as a dedicated employee:

“She loves her work and performs it professionally. Before any driver begins work, we provide training and conduct assessments. She demonstrated that she was capable,” he says.

Ishimwe’s story also stands out in Rwanda’s transport sector. While a growing number of women today drive motorcycles for ride-hailing services or operate small personal vehicles, very few are known to take the wheel of large passenger buses.

In Rwanda—and across much of East Africa—bus driving remains largely dominated by men, making her presence behind the wheel both rare and inspiring.

Beyond her personal ambitions, her journey carries a deeper meaning. Each day she navigates Kigali’s busy streets, she quietly challenges long-held stereotypes about what women can or cannot do.

Many passengers—young girls, students, workers and even fellow drivers on the road—often express surprise and admiration when they realise the bus is being driven by a woman.

In doing so, Ishimwe is not just transporting passengers from one destination to another. She is also driving a message of possibility, determination and courage.

Additional writing by Jean Claude  Munyantore, Kigali Today.