Driving home a point

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE

Kolkata real estate developer gives free driving lessons to destitute boys and girls.

Arati and her husband desperately needed more money for the treatment of their thalassemia-afflicted son.

"My husband is a small-time photographer and earns close to Rs 4,000 a month. We needed more money for our son's treatment," Arati says. Arati and her husband live in a slum area of West Bengal.

"I got to know from the local political party office that someone is giving driving lessons for free. I decided to join it, so I could get a job once I get my driving licence," says Arati.

Arati joined the driving classes run by NGOs Nayeedisha and Asha Sanchar. Today, Arati is employed at a local housing complex and earns around Rs 4,000 a month.

"The family I work for prefers women drivers for their teenage daughters. I take them to school, to tuition classes and also to any party they would want to go to," Arati says.

Women like Arati as well as men have benefited from project 'Sunshine' initiated by Kolkata-based real estate developer PS Group.

Project Sunshine, undertaken by PS Group as a corporate social responsibility, is a joint venture between two NGOs "" Nayeedisha, the NGO formed by PS Group, and Asha Sanchar "" to provide driving lessons to the poor.

While Nayeedisha funds the project, Asha Sanchar manages the work.

Pradeep Chopra, chairman PS Group, says: "I was casually chatting with a few orphanages who happened to point out that their children cannot stay at the homes after 18 years. If they are not adequately qualified, they will not find a job and will probably end up doing illegal activities." Chopra adds: "Learning to drive is easy. Moreover, there is always a need for good drivers ."

PS Group has engaged trainers to teach driving. The group spends close to Rs 3,000 on each candidate's training, which includes fees to the trainers as well as fee for the cars used on rent for the purpose.

Says an official of Asha Sanchar: "We send out leaflets and pamphlets in localities, municipalities and other points of contact to create awareness about this programme and its benefits. Most of the applications are from juvenile homes and orphanages. For the individual applications, we go to their homes to inspect their living conditions. The purpose is to impart training only to people with absolutely no resources."

Started a year ago, 70 students have already learnt driving and got licences.

Says Prasenjit: "After I finished class X, I used to sell newspapers on the streets. Then I heard from my friend that someone was giving training in driving for free. I finished the course and managed to get a driver's job at a garage nearby. I earn around Rs 3,000 per month now."

Likewise, Amit took the course in driving for three months. "I went two days a week for three hours. After driving for 200 km during the training, I finally got my licence. I got a drivers' job at a housing complex near my house," Amit says.

Besides driving, the course teaches them traffic management, safety measures, and car emergency repairs.

Nayeedisha is also training girls in household chores. Naseema, 19, attends the training run by Nayeedisha and can make delicious hakka noodles and is also fond of rangoli. Nayeedisha is looking at the impending boom in the hospitality industry and the growing number of 24x7 jobs being created in the city, to place its trainees. Next on Nayeedisha's agenda is free training in computer hardware for poor children, so they can earn a living by opening computer repair centres.