When Menna and Nouran Farouk founded Dosybikes in 2019, they were driven by a personal wish: both wanted to learn how to ride a scooter to navigate their hometown, Cairo, more quickly, safely, and independently. However, they struggled to find an instructor or a training academy.  

“Our father was always supportive and willing to drive us anywhere,” they recall, “but I firmly believed that women shouldn’t have to rely on a man just to get to school, work, or anywhere else — they should have the freedom to move independently.”  

Eventually, they discovered that several female instructors did exist in the city, but they were hard to find or even know about in the first place. 

This was when they came up with the idea to turn their personal dream for independent mobility into a broader initiative to support women in Cairo. The two sisters launched Dosybikes, an online platform that offers scooter and bicycle riding lessons for women. The goal is not only to teach women how to ride but also to empower them to become instructors themselves, helping others gain the same skills and independence. 

Through this initiative, Dosybikes tackles three major challenges faced by many residents of Cairo—especially women: air pollution, unsafe public transportation, and limited employment opportunities for women. 

With a population of around 23 million, Cairo is one of Africa’s largest megacities and its second fastest-growing city. The high population density results in a massive number of daily commuters, with congested streets filled mostly by aging private cars and taxis. Road transport has become the primary source of air pollution in Greater Cairo, contributing to severe health impacts and significant economic costs. 

Public transportation in the city is also inadequate, offering few rapid or efficient transit options. For women, the situation is even more challenging: public transport is often unsafe due to widespread sexual harassment and overcrowding. As noted in a 2022 report by the Institute for Transportation and Development Policy, “women in Greater Cairo face harassment at each stage of the journey, including the walk to the bus stop, the wait for the vehicle, the boarding process, and the ride itself.” 

Beyond the daily struggle to commute safely, women in Egypt also face limited employment opportunities, despite making up nearly half of the country’s population. According to World Bank data from March 2025, the female labor force participation rate stands at just 18%, compared to 72% for men — a stark disparity that contributes to increased poverty and vulnerability among women. 

For Menna and Nourhan, these challenges are at the heart of Dosybikes’ mission.  

Ultimately, their vision is “to create a world where women have equal access to safe, sustainable transportation, economic opportunities, and the freedom to move independently.” 

As an online platform, Dosybikes primarily offers women in Cairo the opportunity to connect with female instructors who teach them how to ride bicycles or scooters. The company emphasizes comprehensive learning experiences centered on safety, confidence-building, and road awareness. The goal is not only to impart riding skills but also to challenge the cultural barriers that restrict women’s mobility in Egypt and across the MENA region. 

Beyond training, Dosybikes also supports women who want to become instructors themselves or work as delivery riders—helping them build a sustainable source of income. Additionally, the platform maintains a growing network of partners, linking customers with providers of eco-friendly scooters and bicycles, as well as spare parts and maintenance services. 

By creating this interconnected ecosystem, Dosybikes offers more than just lessons—it builds a supportive network for current and aspiring female riders.  As Nourhan puts it:

“By combining skill development with economic empowerment and environmental advocacy, Dosy is building a community-driven movement that challenges gender norms, promotes clean transportation, and advances women’s freedom and independence.” 

To date, Dosy has trained over 7,000 women in riding scooters and bicycles, created job opportunities for more than 300 female instructors, won numerous awards in the fields of tourism, women’s empowerment, and mobility, and been featured by major international media outlets such as CNN and BBC. They also offer an e-commerce service through their website where women can buy or sell scooters and bicycles. 

But the path to success wasn’t without obstacles. The two founders and their team faced significant resistance before they felt they were truly on track to fulfilling their mission—relying largely on their persistence and the strength of their community.

“Many people were skeptical about women riding scooters or becoming instructors,” says Nouran. “But we kept going—we launched awareness campaigns, formed partnerships, and built a strong community of women who support and uplift one another.” 

Dosybikes’ primary customers and beneficiaries are women between the ages of 18 and 45 who are looking for safe, affordable, and independent modes of transportation, as well as new income opportunities. But the platform has also welcomed older participants. Nouran recalls one particularly memorable moment: 

Looking ahead, Dosybikes has bold and ambitious plans for the future, with a strong focus on expanding into regional markets. The team is currently developing the first female-led ride-hailing mobile app for scooter rides in Egypt and the wider MENA region—offering a women-centered alternative to existing platforms. At the same time, Dosy aims to scale its model to other countries across Africa and the Middle East, with the vision of reducing emissions, improving urban mobility, and creating one million job opportunities for women in the micro-mobility sector. 

This ambition reflects Nouran’s core advice to other green entrepreneurs:

“Solve a real problem. Stay rooted in your values. Sustainability is not just a buzzword—it’s a commitment.” 

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