ASSET BASED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
ACQUISITION OF BICYCLES BY POOR STREET HAWKERS

Title : Owning an asset of bicycle by the poor street hawkers of Kosavapatti, a rural village in Tamiladu by 12 beneficiaries in 1988.

Source of support: Late Respected Dr.Van Ruitan, President of Vicent de Paul society, Netherlands

How it all occurred?
Dr.Van Reuitan used to visit India every year (1986-89) and i was a commerce graduate student in St.Joseph's College, Tiruchirapalli, Tamilnadu INDIA. My father was an executive committee member of Vincent De Paul society, Kosavapatti. I was coincidentally invited to do translation of the talks of Dr.Van Reuitan as he was addressing towards the end of the programmes in the villages he visited particularly Kosavapatti, each year.

While sharing general profile and details of the villages I told him about their common issues and cash drains which could be prevented if there is a support to it. It happened so that Dr.Van Reuitan was very much touched by the sufferings of the Street Hawkers who paid about 40% of their daily earning towards meeting the HIRE CHARGE of cycles. They used to earn a sum of Rs.100-120/- and paid Rs.40/- as rent to the cycles hired. They were selling candle ice, flour, salt, fruits, vegetables and using cycles for household needs.I explained to him in between how it can empower them if all their earning is invested in the family towards children's nourishment, education and family empowerment. He was so much taken up that he asked me to draft a small request draft within 2-3 pages. I did it and it was sent through their proper channel and within a month Dr.Van Reuitan sent a sum about Rs.27,000/-

Magnanimity of Dr.Van Reuitan : He asked me finally as he was about to leave, that he would send some money and asked me to inform the office bearers to choose the most poorest of the poor numbering ten people and give them this FREE OF COST. We did follow his words and not heeded to his words. But every cyclist spent Rs.40/- per day and when you scale it up for one month it is about 1,200/- Hence, i met the office bearers even as a student and made a small request that Dr.Van reuitan has given free of cost, can we not request him that these people who pay Rs.1200/- per month as hire charge can pay only Rs.50/- in return reimbursing the loan with in two years. It worked wonders and today when you step down to KOSAVAPATTI you will find cycles with logo of Vincent De Paul Society as OCP Ozanam Cycle Project with the number of the lattest cycle given below. Like wise today such cycles given on revolving system of Rs.50/- reimbursement per month has increased to 2700 cycles over these twenty five years.

Lesson: A small source of support can evolve in to a great success story in the lives of simple people as in the case of Ozanam Cycle Project. These kinds of success stories i came across are quoted in my latest book over 900 pages hard bound edition of St.Pauls Publications, Mumbai. I do remember the team of St.Vincent De Paul committees members literally going about begging or soliciting at the beck and call of people and gather little resources to help poor in the village and its vicinity. It is fascinating to see TODAY this team Sponsoring Studies of Poor Engineering and Medical students. This thought i dedicate to the HOLY SOUL OF DR.VAN REUITAN, Former President of Vincent de paul society, Netherlands.

SUSTAINABILITY : Today it is 100% sustainable and able to invest on other development requirement based on the system created by the COUNCIL and regional rules and regulations.

Can i send this example to ABCD with required documentations and photos?

J.A.Arockiasamy

Problem

OWNING A BI-CYCLE BY A POOR VENDOR WHO WAS WASTING ALMOST 40% OF HIS DAILY INCOME ON HIRE. SOMETIMES WHEN THE PROFIT WAS LESS THEY DID NOT HAVE EVEN THE SUM TO PAY THE CYCLE HIRE CHARGE. BUT ONCE THIS PROGRAMME EMERGED ALL THE POOR AND DISADVANTAGED NOW INCLUDING CHILDREN GOING TO SCHOOL ARE BENEFICIARIES OF THIS GREAT PROGRAMME.

Solution

OWNERSHIP OF AN ASSET

Exemple

REVOLVING

Marché

THE ENTIRE VILLAGE MEN WHO WERE WORKING USING BI-CYCLES AS VENDORS, TRAVELING TO WORK SPOT, TAKING CHILDREN TO SCHOOL etc.,