In 2004, World Vision helped Nargish buy five bicycles to start a bike rental business. Just four years later, his inventory had grown to 150 bikes. Nargish is proud that his business helps support his family and also promotes the use of "green" power in a dense, polluted city.

April 2009

By Kit Shangpliang, World Vision India, and Rachael Boyer, World Vision U.S.

Even though Nargish Kuchaikar’s neighborhood — the Tarawade slum — has about 1,000 homes, everyone knows where the ‘cycle man’ lives. Nargish is one of the few people in the city of Pune who rents out bicycles to the low-income group, making him a very popular person.

A Bollywood start

"Let me tell you my story," Nargish says. "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."

It's somewhat of a Bollywood start to a slum success story. Nargish and his new bride temporarily stayed at a train station, and then spent the next few months at his aunt's house. Eventually, he found a job working in a bicycle repair shop.

"Then I got in touch with World Vision staff, and they helped me with the seed money to start my cycle-hiring business," he said.

Eco-friendly, budget-friendly transportation

Normally, Nargish rents out bikes for 10 rupees a day, which is equal to about 20 cents. But when many families live on less than a dollar or two a day, even 20 cents adds up.

To help low-income families in his area, Nargish introduced a special rate: "I charge them 7 rupees per day, [which is] still cheaper than them taking a bus.” Then there’s the added ecological bonus. When more people ride bikes instead of using other means of transportation, “it helps to cut the pollution," he says.

A grassroots effort

Nargish loves nature. Of all the houses in his community, he has chosen one for his family that is shaded by a large tree. He also speaks out 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. It’s a question that inspires thought and action — not only in India, but around the world and here in the United States.

Nargish is doing plenty of good work, but he is not content. Thinking about future generations, he asks, "What would this city look like in the future?" If people don’t change their habits, "There will be too many sick people and diseases will spread because of the pollution."

Since World Vision gave that first push, Nargish's pedals have not stopped. A member of a Pune cycle club, this cycle man is making a difference at the city level, not just in his neighborhood.

An annual event held by the Pune cycle club and the awareness campaigns conducted by World Vision is 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.

Green issues

The complex problems of pollution and environmental degradation are too big for Nargish to tackle alone.

Thankfully, throughout South Asia, people like Nargish are beginning to talk about green issues and caring for God’s creation. With enough people voicing their concerns and taking action in the region and throughout the world, the tide may turn.

And in the meantime, Nargish is happy to be providing his neighbors with affordable, eco-friendly transportation.