Pune, India

Tarawade slum holds about a thousand homes, but it’s never a problem to know where Nargish Kuchaikar lives.  It’s the one surrounded by crowds of bicycles.  Nargish is one of the few people in Pune city renting bikes to people with low incomes, making him a very popular person. 

"Let me tell you my story," he says, as people crowd around to hear what happens next.  "My wife and I fell in love, our parents did not approve our marriage - so we ran away from home and got married in court."

Success story

It's a Bollywood start to a slum success story.  Nargish talks about the challenges of a temporary stay in a train station, followed by a few months sheltering at his aunt’s place.  He found a job working in a cycle repair shop.  “Then I got in touch with World Vision staff, and they helped me with the seed money to start by cycle-hiring business,” he says.

The business began in 2004, when the World Vision economic program lent him funds for five bicycles.  Four years later, that number has grown to 150.  The bikes have made Nargish a public figure in the area town, and provided support for his family.  They’ve also helped him to promote the benefits of “green” power.

Better than the bus

Since that first push, Nargish's pedals have not stopped.  A member of a Pune cycle club, this cycle man is spreading his wings to make a difference at the city level and not just in his slum.

An annual event held by the Pune cycle club and the awareness campaigns conducted by World Vision are helping people like Nargish to rekindle their dreams of saving the environment.   "I hope these 150 cycles will contribute to help cut pollution," Nargish says, smiling.

Nargish loves nature. Of all the houses in this slum area, he has chosen one for his family shaded by a big tree. He speaks against pollution every time he gets a chance.  "Like other mega Indian cities, Pune is getting more polluted - why do people use cars or motorcycles even for short distances?" he asks.

Giving back to the community

His business has grown 1,500 per cent in four years, and Nargish could easily relax a little.  But instead, he wants to give back to his community.  "I invest my time with the youth, helping them to realize their dreams," he says.

Hiring a cycle from Nargish's stock would cost ten rupees per day, but recently he introduced a subsidized rate for needy families in his community, "I charge them seven rupees per day, still cheaper than them taking a bus - therefore, it helps to cut the pollution," he says.