Motorcycle taxis, or “ojeks”, are a popular form of public transportation in Indonesia. Ojeks are typically men, which has caused problems for a couple of reasons. For one thing, conservative Muslim women will not ride a motorbike with a man unless he is a relative because they believe that Islam forbids this. The other reason is safety. There have been reports of attacks on women by ojeks.
As a result, several female only motorbike taxis, inspired by Uber, have begun. Ojek Syari, or “Ojesy” is a service that only employs Muslim women who wear headscarves. The service began in Surabaya and has spread to other major cities on Java. LadyJek and Sister-Ojek are similar services. These services are more expensive than others, but insist they have better security measures. LadyJeks are equipped with a loud alarm that is activated if they are attacked or feel threatened. Ojesy and Sister-Jek only operate during daylight hours.
Read the full story here.
Praise God for safer taxi services for women that are now available! Pray for workers to use these taxi services as a unique opportunity to share the gospel.
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