Received the keys of their pink auto-rickshaws from Commissioner of Police Narasimha Komar and are now self-sufficient, supporting their families
It’s a proud moment for 24-year-old B.Com graduate Deepika Chauhan, as she is now the proud owner of her family’s vehicle. ily. Coming from a lower-middle-class family, she will now drive the pink auto to earn a living and support her family of six. Her aim in choosing this profession is to support gender equality and provide a safe environment for the girls and women in her area.
Eight other women joined this pink auto campaign, likewise, to live dignified lives and support their families. Breaking stereotypes, nine women from Vadodara have started driving auto-rickshaws, earning a livelihood for their families by ferrying passengers. These women received the keys to their pink auto-rickshaws from Commissioner of Police Narasimha Komar and have become self-sufficient, supporting their families.
The pink rickshaw campaign already provides livelihoods for rural women and now extends to urban Vadodara to help more women. These women, who did not even know how to ride a two-wheeler, are now working alongside men in this male-dominated profession and earning with pride.
This was made possible by the city-based Alembic CSR Foundation, which started this pink rickshaw campaign to support women in need from rural and urban areas. The women underwent formal driving training, learned computer skills, and obtained their driving licenses from the Vadodara RTO.For this unique initiative, needy women were first selected by the Alembic Foundation. They were given proper training in auto-rickshaw driving with the help of a driving school trainer and were provided with the facility to obtain a driver’s license from the Vadodara RTO. Of these, two selected beneficiaries are widows, one is a 24-year-old unmarried woman, and the rest are married. All these women earn their living through various jobs, working in shops and homes. Rickshaw driving is still a male-dominated profession. These nine women have come forward to break the stereotype. However, it was not easy for them, as it was necessary to pass the driving test at the RTO. With firm minds, after months of hard work, all these women trained themselves well in driving auto-rickshaws and passed the computerized exam and driving test at the Regional Transport Office (RTO). Among these nine women, Deepika Ben Chauhan is a graduate, but her family situation is not good, and she thought of driving rickshaws to assume responsibility for her younger siblings’ studies. Deepika, who got a rickshaw license at the age of just 24, is probably the youngest woman rickshaw driver in the group. Neelaben Vasava’s husband had cancer and her daughter had asthma; this pink rickshaw will now help them in their fight for livelihood. Sonali Ben’s husband was also unwell, and until now she had been running her household by doing household chores. She will now be able to earn more by driving this rickshaw.
Two of these nine women, namely Tahera Bibi and Hansaben, are ASHA workers, but due to a constant shortage of money, they have also joined the Pink Rickshaw Campaign. From today, these nine women will begin a new chapter in their lives.”My family’s condition is not so well, and during my studies, I used to walk to college as there was no vehicle available at home. My father does labor work, and presently his health is not so good. So, I decided to run this pink auto and earn well to support siblings’ education gs and my family. This is a special moment for me, as it is the first-ever vehicle in my family, and it is like a member of our family. The aim of joining this campaign is to support gender equality and provide a safe environment for girls and women in my area who face problems getting an auto,” said Deepika Chauhan.
Police Commissioner Narasimha Komar appreciated the initiative, as it empowers women, d and helps them support their families, and fosters their economic growth. He said the women are driving these autos toward growth and prosperity, indicating that Vadodara’s transportation system is safe for women.
Mallika Amin, head of the Alembic Foundation, said the Alembic Foundation started the Pink Rickshaw Campaign to empower women so they can support themselves with dignity. By joining, they began earning a daily income, the campaign’s main objective.In the first round, six needy women from the villages of Panchmahal were selected. They were given proper training in auto-rickshaw driving, and after getting driving licenses from the Vadodara RTO, they have been earning about 14,000 rupees every month for the past nine months. This campaign is now being extended to Vadodara city to support needy women in becoming self-independent.
