This archive report was first published on 24 August 2021.
Breaking Barriers: 5 Uber Drivers Share Their Success Stories ¶
Published on August 24, 2021
Uber has revolutionized the way people move around cities, providing a convenient and affordable transportation option for millions of users. But for many drivers, Uber has been more than just a job – it's a means of achieving financial freedom and breaking barriers in their personal and professional lives.
Meet Palesa Sempe, a single mom from South Africa who started driving for Uber in 2017 after being retrenched from her job. With Uber, she's been able to provide for her children and break the stereotype of women not being able to drive.
"Being an Uber driver has helped me survive as I don't bother anyone for financial help. I am able to put food on the table and take care of my kids," Palesa said.
Another driver, Jane from Kenya, joined Uber after losing her job and staying at home for five months. She's been an Uber driver for almost four years and has a rating of 4.93, which she believes is a testament to her good service and reliability as a driver.
"Uber's customer care service is good to me as a driver and our customers. In case of anything, they are always able to sort it out," Jane said.
Lindelani, a 31-year-old driver-partner from South Africa, joined Uber to fulfill his long-term dream of being an entrepreneur. He's currently pursuing another business adventure of owning a petrol filling station and is happy that Uber allows him flexible hours to focus on multiple business avenues.
"I joined Uber to fulfil my long term dream of being an entrepreneur. Since my early days, I have always wanted to become my own boss and leave a legacy for my family," Lindelani said.
For Nomathemba, a small business owner from South Africa, Uber has been a welcome source of income. She started her journey with Uber in 2014 and has been able to take care of her business and be the boss of her schedule while receiving an extra income.
"The flexibility of being a driver allows me to also take care of my business and be the boss of my schedule while receiving an extra income," Nomathemba said.
Mavis, a driver from Ghana, joined Uber after working for 13 years at the now-defunct UT Bank. She wanted to start her cooking business and also make enough money to support her family.
"It wasn't an easy period but I had to look for another source of income immediately. I started cooking on a contract basis for events and cooking for individuals in their homes. After some time, I realised I couldn’t depend solely on that so the idea of using my vehicle for Uber came up," Mavis said.
