Our society has a very negative way of looking at people who are differently abled. Most people just stare while some only talk about doing something for them. But here we have an example of an organization that walks the talk.

The “Network of Organization Working for People with Disabilities, Pakistan” or NOWPDP is an organization which has started The Rickshaw Project.

It aims to provide a means of income for people who have certain disabilities.

The Rickshaw Project, which began in 2012, has three main objectives. The first one is to provide a sustainable mobility solution for differently abled individuals.

This means that they have to modify already existing rickshaws to make them drivable. It isn’t as easy as it sounds though. The man behind this project, Amir Andani, has led this project from an idea to its final form. Each rickshaw costs around Rs. 250,000 to buy and retrofit with the required modifications.

The second objective is to cause a change in the lacking legal system.

Pakistan’s legal system does not cater sufficiently to people who are physically challenged in this regard. There are no such laws that either allow or prohibit differently abled individuals from driving an automobile. NOWPDP aims to get laws approved as well to help them with their income.

The third and final objective is to spread awareness about this amongst people.

We, as a society, need to come together in helping out our brothers and sisters who are physically challenged. If people start accepting them as normal citizens that want to work to earn for themselves, only then can we progress forward.

When asked about this initiative, Muhammad Anwar, who has a lower-limb impairment, said:

“Spent my entire life in a roofless house at Mewa Shah Graveyard (Lyari) without any hope of change due to my inability to walk. My life transformed completely when I got a hand-controlled rickshaw and the skill to drive it. I am lucky to shift my journey from being dependent on neighbors and family, to earning Rs. 25,000 per month.”

Not only does the organization provide them with a hand-controlled rickshaw, they also provide the required training for it.

The team first selects individuals after an interview. Then those individuals have to go through three months of training. This includes learning about traffic rules and road signs. It also includes special training and basic automotive repair. And once they’re done with all this, they’re also given a family medical insurance to cover for their future. That is truly amazing!

NOWPDP, with its firm belief in the saying, “A part. Not apart.”, is doing a truly remarkable job with this project. 

They believe The Rickshaw Project is a great initiative that strives to improve our society. Not only does this help challenged people but also motivates the upcoming leaders of Pakistan to work for minorities and treat them as normal citizens. The team has a goal of setting up these rickshaws for at least 100 people.

We hope that this project continues its outstanding work. People should use this as motivation and inspiration to bring about change in the society. We wish NOWPDP the best of luck! What do you think about this? Let us know in the comments.

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