The city of Delhi is dotted with a string of slums that count for 40% of the population of Delhi. All the governments promise to provide employment to the slum dwellers and providing them some sort of housing, yet the situation in these slums have not changed a little.

With active support of donors from abroad as well as India, SI has envisaged to launch a livelihood project for the benefit the Slum dwellers of Delhi whose number grows by every passing day. Cycle rickshaws has been a ‘vehicle’ that is economically viable for a poor hobo who comes from the states of Bihar, Bengal, Orissa or Assam which do not generate enough employment for the unskilled labor

Sewa International has been involved in many such livelihood projects in India since last 10 years. We have implemented the Rickshaw Project in association with our local partner organization “SEWA BHARTI DELHI”, which has it’s presence in more than 500 slums of Delhi. Sewa Bharti Delhi (SBD) runs 2300 projects and programs for the slum dwellers of Delhi that cover education, health, social and economical development. SBD has been awarded “Best NGO” award by the state Government of Delhi twice in last 5 years. “Each one, teach one” program of SBD received public support and applause for educating more than 50,000 adults in one single year that involved more than 50% new volunteers from society.

AREA OF ACTIVITY and OBJECTIVE of the PROJECT:

Kalandhar Colony, Dilshad Garden, east of River Yamuna, is perhaps one of the best slums in Delhi which has a good number of activities run by Sewa Bharti Delhi. It is one of the biggest slums in the city with a population of 40,000 and above, the main occupation of the people residing here being either menial jobs or working as contract laborers.

A unit of 10 rickshaws supported by a repairing unit seems to be viable option for supporting 11 families in this slum. Survey for identifying the beneficiaries was conducted by the local volunteers before finalizing the list.

The beneficiaries of this project would be provided an opportunity to earn their livelihood with dignity, encourage them for saving some part of their earnings and persuade them to educate their children. The beneficiaries would be expected to pay back 50% of the total cost of the rickshaw in a stipulated time of 24 months.

METHODOLOGY

After identification of the beneficiaries, they were handed over a rickshaw duly registered with the transport authority of Delhi on the 8^th of December 2009. A volunteer from SBD would provide counseling to each beneficiary and impress upon him the benefits of the scheme and his responsibility within this scheme. Group meeting of the beneficiaries would also be held once in a while for their orientation. They will operate their Rickshaws very much like others have been doing but with a human face. “Helping the senior citizens, women and children or giving preference may be one of their ways”.

Apart from that Sewa International will also assist and facilitate one more person in opening a Rickshaw repairing shop. He would repair and also do the maintenance of all our Rickshaws free of charge. But at the same time he can earn his livelihood by repairing other Rickshaws.

The money collected from the rickshaw pullers will be used to buy more rickshaws in future to benefit more people underprivileged people and thus be a sustainable livelihood project.