Nafeesa Alibedi, 2025 Ford Philanthropy Fellow
Meet the 2024-2025 Ford Philanthropy Fellows
Generously sponsored by Ford Philanthropy
Alex Lew | Thailand
Migrant Library Singapore
Migrant Library Singapore is a “Library on Wheels” which physically brings educational resources to underserved migrant communities. Though Migrant Library Singapore was founded in Singapore, it has expanded to serve migrants in rural communities of Thailand, including Ubon Ratchathani and Chiang Mai. By delivering educational resources directly to underserved migrant communities, Alex has created a hyper-local educational experience which has reduced the need for movement, expanded educational access, and created greater optionality for 17,700 migrant workers to date. In recognition of his ongoing efforts to enhance road safety and advocate for people-friendly and equitable public infrastructure and transport, Alex was selected to take part in the 2024 Local Pathways Fellowship, a global network of 100+ young professionals promoting inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable environments.
Amanda Tlotlisang Mokoena | South Africa
Glow Movement NPO
Glow Movement NPO addresses the systemic barriers preventing mothers, children, and girls living in underserved communities in South Africa from accessing essential services. Baby on Board Rides, an initiative of Glow Movement NPO, addresses the specific mobility challenges faced by pregnant women and new mothers, and expands reliable access to healthcare and other essential services for them. Through this initiative, Glow Movement NPO has partnered with local organizations to equip vehicles with car seats and provide first-aid-trained drivers, ensuring safe and supportive rides for mothers and children. To date, Glow Movement NPO has reached over 5,000 girls and provided support to 2,005 mothers from underserved communities.
Asanda Madosi | South Africa
Ramalo
Ramalo is an integrated logistics company that partners with corporations to train and up-skill unemployed South African youth from low-income communities and prepare them for careers in mobility, enabling greater and more sustainable access to employment. Ramalo specifically targets youth from low-income communities across South Africa, including townships, which are characterized by significantly lower income levels and poorer quality of life. Since its inception in 2020, Ramalo has created over 200 mobility-focused jobs for residents of low-income communities and raised almost $400,000. They are currently collaborating with TakeALot, South Africa’s largest online retailer, to provide training, licensing, and job placements for 1,000 youth from low-income communities across South Africa.
Barsi Luna | Mexico
Shuttle Central
Shuttle Central’s mission is to allow anyone to travel at affordable prices and in the option that best suits them. To achieve this, they have developed a platform that brings together all independent providers of tourist transport, providing them with the necessary technology to grow their business and access large clients. The platform is free for transporters and creates a seamless and digitized experience for travelers and last-mile ground transportation companies around Mexico. In the 5 years since its inception, Shuttle Central has raised over $1,100,000, empowered over 100 small transportation businesses across Mexico, fostered partnerships with major travel brands like Expedia Group, Booking.com, and VivaAerobus, and received global media attention, including a feature in Forbes.
Benjamin Knowles | United Kingdom (Ford Plant Cities)
Pedal Me
Pedal Me is a pedal-powered transport service with a proven commitment to social impact which is helping the fabric of cities and communities across the UK evolve to enable enhanced mobility. Pedal Me’s eco-friendly cargo bikes provide a sustainable and efficient alternative to traditional delivery services, while creating dignified employment opportunities for residents of underserved communities who are recruited, trained, and empowered to operate them. Pedal Me also has illustrated a sustained impact to providing greater optionality for underserved communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they partnered with Lambeth Council in the city of London to use their eco-cargo bikes to deliver 10,000 care packages to individuals and families in low-income communities, including residents of Dagenham, a Ford Plant City. This operation covered over 20,000 km and moved approximately 150,000 kg of goods.
Eddison Shumba | South Africa
Timo Rides
Timo Rides is a mobility platform that improves safety for underserved communities who rely on the ride-hailing industry for transportation by allowing customers to select their preferred drivers and vehicles. This feature enhances both safety and reliability in communities where these concerns are most prevalent. To date, Timo Rides has provided over 5,000 rides, with a 33% increase in repeat customers. By offering reliable, affordable, and personalized transportation solutions to users in underserved communities, Rides improves safety for those who rely on the ride-hailing industry, increasing access to the essential services, goods, and opportunities they need to live a dignified and independent life.
Fernando Ocaña | Mexico
VEU
VEU democratizes zero-emission transportation in low-income communities in Mexico City through affordable, lightweight EVs for gig drivers, paired with service hubs which offer users access to essential services like food, sanitary services, childcare, and professional development. Fernando founded VEU with the vision of creating vehicles not just as products, but as catalysts for broader urban innovation. Backed by the Government of Mexico City, MIT DesignX, and the Green Climate Fund, VEU has developed a first prototype of its proposed vehicle design which has demonstrated a 60% reduction to the operation costs of comparable electric alternatives. VEU’s focus on providing affordable, sustainable, and efficient electric vehicles for gig economy drivers in urban areas, especially in Mexico City, addresses transportation insecurity and elevates mobility for low-income communities.
Gustavo Gracitelli | Brazil
Bynd
Bynd is a carpooling app that helps people living in low-income communities in Brazil access collaborative mobility networks — providing greater optionality and filling critical mobility gaps within Brazil’s existing public transportation system. Bynd partners with corporations whose employees live in remote areas that lack access to reliable transportation. The partnering corporation sponsors Bynd’s carpooling service so that employees living in remote areas can access free rides to work. Bynd has provided over 400,000 carpools, providing greater optionality for low-income communities across Brazil and reducing an estimated 1.3 tons of CO₂ emissions. Bynd currently has eight medium-sized corporate partners including John Deere, Groupe L’Occitane, and COPA Energia, six of whom have recently renewed their contracts, and a monthly carpool growth of approximately 10%.
Jakobina Junias | South Africa
Amperra Charging Company
Amperra Charging Company is addressing electric vehicle (EV) transportation infrastructure gaps in South Africa by building EV charging networks accessible to underserved communities. Amperra has integrated advanced technology, including solar power and seamless payment systems, into their EV charging solution to fill gaps within the existing EV charging network in South Africa. Amperra’s advanced EV technology fill gaps within existing EV services, helps people get to where they need to go, particularly those that might be in danger of exclusion, and strengthens the fabric of cities by enabling enhanced mobility through EVs. Amperra is committed to educating underserved communities about EV charging and sustainability. Originally founded in Namibia, Amperra has been incorporated in and is currently impacting communities in South Africa.
Jamie Thurston Wyngaard | South Africa (Ford Plant Cities)
Loop
Loop is a digital platform which enables commuters to book shared taxis and use seamless, secure digital payment solutions, reducing transportation cost and improving accessibility for low-income communities, including residents of Ford’s Plant City Pretoria. Additionally, Loop is reducing the number of dangerous and illegal taxi operations in South Africa because all operators on this platform are verified to be legal operators. Loop has facilitated over 60,000 rides and currently has 15,000 users. Loop has received notable awards, including African Startup of the Year 2021 and Startup of the Year – Informal Economy in South Africa Startup of the Year in 2022, and significant media attention, including an article in Electronic News and Current Affairs (eNCA), a South African press outlet.
Javier Amozurrutia | Mexico
MazMobi
MazMobi is a mobility startup which helps underserved communities access vehicle leases. By leveraging underutilized assets, such as idle vehicles from dealerships, MazMobi offers flexible options for vehicle lease without hidden fees, including short-term rentals and mini-leases, which helps users move around in the way that they want and when it best suits them, and within their budget at the time. MazMobi is also exploring electric mobility hubs and last-mile delivery solutions using electric bikes to further support underserved communities. From 2023 to 2024, MazMobi grew 400%; the company currently partners with major rental car companies to offer services across 37 airports and 28 cities in Mexico.
Jeza Antonette Rodriguez | Philippines
Bike School Asia
Jeza is a gender and mobility activist who currently serves as the Brand Ambassador for Bike School Asia. Jeza leads formal training workshops designed to encourage women to become more comfortable biking so that they can move around in the way that they want and when it best suits them and within their budget at the time. Jeza teaches practical skills, including the mechanics of bicycle repair, but she also works to shift societal perceptions about the safety of bicycles. Jeza has organized 13 successful workshops and generated over $5,000 in earnings. Her work was featured in SENDR and Rappler, both Filipino-owned media platforms.
Joel Alex Olang | South Africa
Urban Tech for Hope
Urban Tech for Hope is a mobility-focused social enterprise which reduces barriers to healthcare access for underserved communities. Urban Tech for Hope’s digital platform, M-Kliniki©, is an e-pharmacy platform which uses electric motorbikes to deliver medicine to patients at an affordable price. Urban Tech for Hope has successfully completed over 1,500 medication deliveries in under 30 minutes, compared to traditional methods that often exceed two hours and attracted over 2,000 registered users, with a retention rate of 75%. Urban Tech For Hope has already established partnerships with 15 local pharmacies, and raised $250,000 in seed funding and awards from Digital Opportunity Trust (DOT), German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), and the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
Juan José Villegas Barrera | Mexico
Devil Ride
Devil Ride addresses the urgent need for sustainable micro-mobility solutions in cities like Mexico City through the design and production of eco-friendly electric vehicles for last-mile delivery. The aim of Devil Ride is to create green jobs (to date, Juan’s venture has created eight jobs) and provide a sustainable alternative to traditional transportation modes, reducing carbon emissions, traffic congestion, and social inequality. Devil Ride has collaborated with over 150 stakeholders to successfully prototype two electric vehicle models designed for micro-mobility and last-mile delivery, achieving a 30% reduction in energy consumption compared to traditional gas-powered vehicles, and growing to a team of 8 people. By incorporating recycled materials, fostering green job creation, and collaborating with logistics companies and community organizations, Devil Ride is empowering people with accessible and reliable mobility options, enhancing freedom of movement.
Katharina Kreutzer | Germany
Muvn
Muvn is a platform which uses AI and machine learning to reduce inefficiencies and costs in last-mile delivery, ensuring that individuals and small businesses—especially those in rural and underserved areas—have reliable, affordable access to essential goods and economic opportunities. By optimizing unused vehicle capacity, Muvn reduces empty runs, lowers CO₂ emissions, and makes deliveries more accessible and cost-effective: Muvn’s shipping prices are reduced by up to 80 percent compared to conventional providers. The platform supports underserved communities, ensuring essential goods—such as groceries, medical supplies, and household products—reach remote areas and individuals with limited mobility while also enabling rural sellers to access urban markets. Muvn has been awarded €300,000 in grant funding, including €100,000 from MarkenSlam 2024, an event organized by the Marketing Club Hamburg (MCHH) in which an audience voted Muvn the most innovative startup and compelling presentation.
Lucas Nicoleti | Brazil
ecomiles Brazil
ecomiles Brazil is an innovative urban mileage platform that incentivizes sustainable commuting, reduces carbon emissions, and empowers individuals from underserved communities with greater freedom of movement. Individuals earn “eco miles” on this platform for choosing environmentally friendly transport options, which can be redeemed for benefits, including money. Since its launch in October 2022, ecomiles has partnered with 15 companies including Volkswagen, empowering over 50,000 employees in Brazil with greater freedom of movement by shifting from single-occupancy vehicles to more affordable and accessible commuting options such as cycling, walking, public transportation, and carpooling. Its users include low-wage earners such as food delivery drivers who have reported up to 15% higher revenue gains from ecomiles Brazil’s platform.
Lucia Probst | Mexico
Amvi
Amvi is a carpooling app for low-income individuals designed to address urban mobility challenges and reduce carbon emissions. Amvi’s innovative ride-sharing platform, provides a safe and sustainable commuting option for company employees, particularly those living in underserved areas without vehicles or access to public transportation. By partnering with companies directly, the Amvi app enables employees to carpool for free through employer sponsorships, providing them greater optionality and filling a critical mobility gap for underserved communities across Mexico. Amvi took part in the Heineken Green Challenge 2024 and Heineken has committed to partnering with Amvi as it expands access to sustainable mobility solutions for underserved communities across Mexico.
Mai Nguyen | Vietnam (Ford Plant Cities)
Laca City
Laca City is a machine learning-powered platform that improves safety for pedestrians in low-income communities. Returning to Vietnam after a decade living abroad, Mai witnessed that parking shortages caused dangers to pedestrians because sidewalks were often repurposed as parking spaces leaving pedestrians with no safe passage. This danger is particularly prevalent in low-income communities of Vietnam which tend to have narrower streets and less safe passageways. Mai drew on her background in urban planning and personal experience growing up in Vietnam to found Laca City, which connects drivers in need of parking to unused parking spaces to open up more space for pedestrians to commute more safely. Laca City’s innovation will significantly improve the safety of pedestrians living in low income communities across Vietnam, including in the Ford Plant City of Hai Duong.
Mzikhona Mgedle | South Africa
Langa Bicycle Hub
Langa Bicycle Hub is addressing systemic mobility challenges and expanding access to biking across Langa, a Township which was one of first areas designated for Black South Africans under apartheid policies and continues to face severe socioeconomic challenges. Langa Bicycle Hub aims to counter these socio-economic challenges by helping residents to move around in the way that they want and when it best suits them and within their budget at the time. Langa Bicycle Hub not only provides affordable and sustainable transportation options but also empowers the Langa community—a symbol of resilience and rich cultural heritage—to reclaim agency over its mobility. Since its inception in 2020, Langa Bicycle Hub has taught over 300 individuals from Langa how to bike through their Learn2Cycle classes, educated 200 participants on safe cycling practices, and provided bicycle delivery services to over 30 small businesses. Langa Bicycle Hub has created 22 jobs, supporting local families and enhancing the economic vitality of Langa.
Nafeesa Alibedi | South Africa
iBus Smart Movement
Nafeesa was motivated to found iBus Smart Movement after witnessing firsthand the dangers and inefficiencies of South Africa’s public transit system, whose unexpected breakdowns, delays, and inadequate maintenance disproportionately harm the low-income communities which depend on it. iBus Smart Movement leverages Internet of Things (IoT) technology and data analytics to improve bus reliability and optimize transit efficiency which provides low-income communities with more dependable, efficient transportation, ensuring better access to work, education, and essential services while reducing overcrowding and delays. Nafeesa and her team have raised $11,000 from a grant from the Technology Innovation Agency and surveyed 500 commuters and 50 transport operators they continue to prototype iBus Smart Movement’s solutions.
Nico Luciano | Philippines
Findease
Findease, previously known as RideRadar, is a logistics aggregator platform designed to help small and online businesses in the Philippines find cost-effective and efficient delivery solutions Findease’s goal is to streamline logistics and help businesses expand their reach, especially to underserved areas. Findease has already completed thousands of deliveries, helping businesses across the country grow their operations and enabling more people living in remote and underserved areas of the Philippines access the services, goods and opportunities they desire to live a dignified and independent life. Nico was selected to take part in Westerwelle Foundation’s Young Founders Program in 2023 and he was awarded Young CEO of the Year, Most Innovative Young Startup of the Year, and Best Homegrown Technology Start-Up in 2022 by APAC Insider, a business magazine focused on Asia-Pacific.
Raphael Aquino | Philippines
The LAB Project
The LAB Project is a traveling library that delivers books, school supplies, medical supplies, and health education materials to children in underserved communities in the Philippines.By putting critical healthcare and educational services on wheels, The LAB Project creates a hyper-local health and educational experience which reduces the need for movement and expands access to health and education for children in underserved communities. Since its inception in 2022, the project has expanded health and education access for hundreds of children and raised over $7,700. Raphael is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at Harvard. His degree will enable him to better serve the needs of underserved communities in the Philippines through his venture.
Sibongile Sithole | South Africa (Ford Plant Cities)
MLPC Project
To make sustainable mobility more accessible to low-income communities across South Africa, MLPC is currently pioneering solar-powered EV charging stations tailored for low-income communities, particularly rural and agricultural. Their solar-powered EV charging stations harness free energy from the sun and require less extensive electrical infrastructure, thereby reducing operational costs. To offer farmers and low-income communities generally a more affordable entry point, MLPC Project is partnering with renewable energy companies and EV manufacturers to explore subsidized or lower-cost charging solutions for low-income communities. With $200,000 in seed funding and a team of 8, Sibongile aims to reduce energy costs in low-income communities by up to 40% over the next 1-3 years, including in Ford’s Plant City of Pretoria to ensure their solar-powered EV charging are affordable and accessible to low-income communities.
Tawit Sangveraphunsiri | Thailand
MuvMI
MuvMi is a micro-transit service that helps underserved communities move around in the way that they want, when it best suits them, and within their budget at the time. Using a fleet of over 700 electric tuk-tuks operating in 12 major underserved areas through Bangkok, MuvMi enables passengers to share affordable rides via a user-friendly app, reducing operating cost by 30% and providing underserved communities with a more affordable and accessible first/last mile transportation service which links them to mass transit. Since its launch in 2016, MuvMi has served over 1,200,000 passengers, maintained an impressive 80% customer retention rate, and received notable media attention, including an article The Nation, one of Thailand’s leading news site. During the COVID-19 pandemic, MuvMi teamed up with Banpu, the leading energy company in Thailand, to safely transport COVID-19 recovered patients home for free of charge.
Teboho Nthoana | South Africa
Township Mobility Solutions
The LAB Project is a traveling library that delivers books, school supplies, medical supplies, and health education materials to children in underserved communities in the Philippines.By putting critical healthcare and educational services on wheels, The LAB Project creates a hyper-local health and educational experience which reduces the need for movement and expands access to health and education for children in underserved communities. Since its inception in 2022, the project has expanded health and education access for hundreds of children and raised over $7,700. Raphael is currently pursuing a Master of Public Health at Harvard. His degree will enable him to better serve the needs of underserved communities in the Philippines through his venture.
Usama Zafar | United Kingdom (Ford Plant Cities)
Global Vision Initiative
Global Vision Initiative is a charity which deploys mobile IT educational units that increase access to social, information technology, and digital skills training for underserved adolescents between the ages of 14 – 24. Global Vision Initiative’s mobile education units focus primarily on serving communities in the Black, Asian, and minority ethnic neighborhoods of Gorton, Manchester, which is one of the most socially deprived neighborhoods in the UK (top 10% of disadvantaged areas), as well as the Ford Plant City of Halewood. Usama and his team also arrange travel for the underserved youth they train to participate in educational workshops at existing career and unemployment centers, enabling them greater access to educational services. They have successfully engaged over 1,500 youth, with 85% of them reporting employment and economic sufficiency after the program. Additionally, they have received $19,000 in grants and secured partnerships with organizations including Barclays Bank and Manchester City Council.
The Ford Philanthropy Fellowship is a program designed to equip 40 rising entrepreneurs with the skills, resources, and experience to scale the impactful ventures they are building. Ford Fund Fellows will learn advanced skills in entrepreneurship and leadership, have the opportunity to earn seed funding, garner experience, and build a global network, as they lay the foundation to empower many more individuals and transform their communities.
