Few job prospects and low income force many Egyptians to create their own job opportunity, mainly by driving passengers in a three-wheeled motorbike, known as a "Toktok." Toktoks, are the most convenient way to travel through Cairo's bumpy corridors and traffic jams. They are also an excellent way to make a living. Now more than three million "Toktoks" are operating on Egypt's streets. The drivers are mostly children and young men.
Egypt's Young Workers Driving 'Toktoks'
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Tarek ElSoury, a 22-year-old, says "The toktok costs too much money for taking care and fixing. Moreover, when the police arrest any of us on the highway, the penalty fees would range from 80LE up to 10,000LE." (H. Elrasam/VOA)
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Karem Elsawy says, "I used to trade in cereals for animals, plus fixing motorbikes, but, since many people started to invest in Toktoks, I have decided to focus all my work on just fixing toktoks." (H. Elrasam/VOA)
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Toktoks are parked in a local garage in old Cairo. Unlicensed toktoks that does not hold identification plates, turns to an easy subject for stealing. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
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Yousef says, "All toktoks look the same - whenever a crime like stealing or raping is committed using a toktok as one of its main tools- the police arrest all." Only 111,000 toktoks were officially licensed since 2005. (H. Elrasam/VOA)
