New Delhi: Convinced that mobility holds the key to employment, a biker from Nagaland is doing her bit to help women in Kohima find jobs – she is providing free classes on riding two-wheelers to them.
Onenienla Imsong, popularly known as Onen Nenty, last year on her bike tour went to all districts and discovered the need for women to learn bike riding, local media reported. Already grappling with the Covid-19-induced lockdown, Nagaland, which has the highest unemployment rate in India, is left with more people sitting idle with no jobs.
Thus, Onen came up with this initiative to teach women two-wheeler riding, and empower them with potential future job opportunities and independence.
Onen and her team KNOW (Kongro Naga on Wheels) will be executing this course in collaboration with Nagaland Two Wheelers Taxi Association, Kohima, The Sentinel Digital reported. The six-day training session will begin from October 7, between 6 am to 9 am on the road near Raj Bhavan. They also plan to rope in the Kohima Traffic Police to give lessons on traffic rules.
“Unemployment runs rampant in Nagaland. During the present time, many people are sitting idle in their houses. Moreover, many students, who were studying in other parts have opted to return home. Thus, learning to rise two-wheelers might foment the possibility of increasing employment,” Onen told The Sentinel Digital.
“Moreover, if women learn how to ride, women will be more mobile and less dependent on others. Students will also be able to ride to schools or colleges by themselves.”
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Last year, the state cabinet approved two-wheeler taxi service in Nagaland while addressing concerns on acute traffic congestions due to narrow roads and a rise in the number of vehicles, local media reported.
This is a model all north-eastern states have tried to adopt – where the common means of commuting is a two-wheeler – but haven’t been very successful so far. In 2017, Mizoram launched two-wheeler taxi service to provide employment for youth in the region.
According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey for 2017-18, Nagaland has the highest unemployment rate among all states in the country at 21.4%. It also showed that the unemployment rate consistently crossed 5% in six north-eastern states – Nagaland, 11.5% in Manipur, 10.1% in Mizoram, 7.9% in Assam, 6.8% in Tripura and 5.8% in Arunachal Pradesh. The unemployment rates have likely risen after the COVID-19 induced nationwide lockdown.
‘Women empowerment’
Onen became the first woman to complete a solo bike tour across Nagaland in July last year, reports said. The tour took her to nearly all districts in the state where she spread the message of ‘women empowerment’. As per reports, her latest initiative is a continuation of that journey.
“After the conclusion of my solo bike tour last year, I started receiving a lot of requests from women who wanted to learn how to ride two wheelers. Since people have a lot of time on their hands owing to the COVID-19 triggered lockdown, I assumed it would be the right time to impart lessons in the regard,” she told The Sentinel Digital.
“Initially, I had expected that around 15-10 women would show up only, but so far, we have been contacted by 61 woman, who wish to learn. The number is expected to soar higher and might touch 100. It is going to be quite the challenge to teach them all.”
The report added that safety gear along with two-wheelers will be provided for the participants. The mentors will all be women. “I think it is for the best if women teach women how to ride ride bikes. This way, they will be more comfortable while learning. While women are already empowered, we wish to drive home the point for general people – that is the whole idea behind this concept,” the report quoted Onen as saying.