Yamaha Motor Europe uses passion for mobility to support rural healthcare delivery in The Gambia
- Yamaha Motor Europe President and CEO, Olivier Prévost, has visited Riders for Health in The Gambia to witness firsthand how the company’s long-standing partnership with the NGO is improving lives by bringing essential health care closer to remote communities.
- The visit reaffirms Yamaha’s sustainability approach of harnessing the power of the mobility to serve real human needs and make the difference between isolation and care.
Since 2022, Yamaha has supported Riders for Health (RfH) with fleet management, fundraising initiatives, and awareness-building. Today, the organisation in The Gambia operates a 100% Yamaha fleet of 187 AG100 motorcycles, including 64 bikes donated by Yamaha.
Yamaha also facilitates annual orders of bikes and parts to keep the fleet operational.
During his visit, Olivier Prévost met RfH’s technicians and field staff, as well as government-backed healthcare workers who rely on motorcycles provided by RfH. He observed the difficulties associated with accessing healthcare for members of The Gambia communities and learned the challenges frontline healthcare workers face daily to deliver vaccines, monitor pregnancies, and provide essential medical care in hard-to-reach villages. The determination of the local communities to take initiative in creating their own solutions like medical centers, as well as the close collaboration between people, government institutions and RfH left a strong impression on him.
In Europe, we often think of motorcycles in terms of performance, passion, leisure or convenience. Visiting Riders for Health has been a reminder that, in some contexts, they can also be lifesaving or solving essential needs. Here, they are not simply a means of transport, but a practical and fundamental tool that supports real people and communities. Meeting the professionals and communities that rely on them reinforces the value of our products, our engineering and reliability. It is an honour to be part of this program
— Olivier Prévost, President and CEO, Yamaha Motor Europe N.V.
RfH’s model ensures that each motorcycle is expertly maintained, allowing healthcare workers to travel safely through difficult terrain. Discussions during the visit focused on the operational realities of rural healthcare delivery and how Yamaha can continue supporting RfH’s long-term fleet performance.
Andrea Coleman – Co-Founder Riders for Health and CEO of fundraising partner organisation, Two Wheels for Life in the UK had this to say,
“For over three decades Riders for Health have chosen Yamaha AG100 & AG200 motorcycles to transport frontline workers in sub–Saharan Africa, for their ease of maintenance, reliability and suitability in challenging terrains. A milestone in our partnership, 2026 marks the now complete rebuild of our Gambian fleet to 100% Yamaha motorcycles, achieved with the support of Yamaha as well as our fundraising partner Two Wheels for Life. The revitalised fleet will enable us to better support life-saving healthcare for vulnerable communities. We’re excited for Olivier Prevost’s visit as we celebrate this milestone”
The collaboration forms part of Yamaha Motor Europe’s 4+ Sustainable Strategy, which defines the path the company is taking towards socially responsible initiatives.
With the current agreement running until 2027, Yamaha plans to deepen its involvement by continuing to provide motorcycles, supporting fundraising activities, and raising global awareness of RFH’s life-saving work.
“Our role as a partner is to support the teams who make this work possible” Olivier Prévost added “Their expertise and commitment ensure people in remote areas receive the care they need. We’re proud to stand behind them.”
