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WOMEN WITH WHEELS

New Journey of women’s life as driver

These days, on the roads of Indore, women do not travel only as passenger, but they are seen as professional drivers. The women here are seen driving in heavy vehicles ranging from e-rickshaws to cabs, loading vehicles, municipal corporation vehicles, hotel vehicles to I-Bus.  The roads here bear witness to the fact that now the profession of driving is not limited to men only, but now women are also joining it prominently. This change on the roads of Indore has come due to the efforts of Samaan Society.

In 2015, Samaan Society in partnership with Azad Foundation started the “Women with Wheels” program in Indore. Women with Wheels, which started in 2015 with 50 women trainees, has now joined 400 women drivers in this journey. Of these, currently more than 350 women are employed as drivers.

Women making a new identity

Women from socio-economically weaker sections of the society were included in the women driving training conducted by Samaan Society in Indore. Many of these women were in search of employment, while many women were associated with work like cleaning workers, domestic workers, daily laborers etc. There was neither dignity nor adequate remuneration in these works. Women earning about Rs. 5 to 6 thousand per month by working tirelessly in traditional employment are now earning an income of Rs. 10 to 15 thousand per month as a driver. Also now they called “Driver  Madam”.

 

In Indore city, the following procedures were adopted for establishing the women in the form of driver: –

  • Mobilization was done by visiting every colony in the city and by discussing with the masses whether women are  encouraged to take up driving as a career. According to the interest the women showed in such interactions, they  were asked to register with the society for further trainings.
  • Soon after their registration, they applied for the learner’s licence. For this licence R.T.O holds a general test in which they try to gauge the knowledge of the applicant on the rules and regulations followed on roads and while driving.
  • Once the learner’s license is ready, information about road and transport signs is given to all the trainees.
  • So far 387 young women were trained in driving by Samaan Society. Special training was done for their placements after training. Today, many of them are working as professional drivers in Indore.
  • The girls associated with this program belong to various settlements of Indore town especially from the financially weaker sections of the society. The mobilization activities are operated by the organization in all the settlements. Till now the institutes operated these activities in not less than 200 settlements of Indore city.
The following empowerment trainings are also given to the women who are undertaking driving training from Samaan Society:
  • Self Defence –In any adverse situation, the women can protect themselves.
  • First Aid –In case of any emergency occurred while driving, they should know how to use first aid and reach out to the nearest hospital.
  • Map Reading –By this the women thoroughly learn the local area and, in any case, can’t be misled by anyone.
  • Statutory Information –The women were informed about the laws related to women and driving.
  • Communication Skills –This is to make them confident to explain themselves to anyone they meet during their work.
  • Understanding Gender and Violence –By this the women thoroughly learn the local area and, in any case, can’t  be misled by anyone.
  • Reproductive Health –The women were informed about the laws related to women and driving.
  • Spoken English –This is to make them confident to explain themselves to anyone they meet during their work.

Ritu, a trained driver from the Samaan Society, is now a bus driver.

  • Indore has the distinction of being the first city in Madhya Pradesh where women drive buses. Ritu Narwale trained by the Samaan Society has been appointed in the Pink Bus started by AICTSL, the reputed public transport company of the city.
  • RituNarwale had taken admission in the Samaan Society in April 2015 for driving training. After learning driving and practicing driving for six months, Ritu got placement as a car driver in a private institute by the Samaan Society. During this, the Samaan Society also helped Ritu to study in the eighth standard and Ritu passed the 8th Class.
  • After this RituNarwale worked as a driver in Hotel Marriott and Hotel Sayaji located in Indore. Along with this, Ritu showed interest in driving heavy motor vehicle and tried for it.
  • Today RituNarwale is Bus Driver in AICTSL Indore.

 

Through this programme, 387 women have established their new identity. At first, they used to work in household sweeping-mopping, cooking, sewing, now people call them respectfully as Driver Madame. These women have got jobs as drivers in hotels, companies, and taxies   in Indore city. many women are working as driver in the mini trucks of Indore.

  • Women posted as driver in reputed hotels of Indore.
  • Women posted as driver in companies.
  • Women posted as driver in mini trucks of Indore Municipal Corporation
  • While working as Instructors in Driving Schools, many women are giving driving training.
  • Women are posted as drivers at several doctors, CEOs and business women.
  • Women are employed as drivers for dropping children to school and coaching classes and bringing back.

Two to fourfold increase in income

 

After taking up driving profession several unemployed women have gained employment, at the same time there has been two to fourfold increase in income of the women working as domestic workers, labours in factories and doing sewing work etc.

Earlier, where women could earn from Rs 5,000 to Rs 6000, the income of these women drivers has now reached Rs 000 to Rs 15000 per month. These women are spending their increased income on the nutrition and education of children.These women are spending their increased income on the nutrition and education of children.

Now women’s e-rickshaw in Indore!

 

As a result of the Women with Wheels program run by the Samaan Society, women are seen here driving from cabs and buses to e-rickshaws as well. After getting driving training from the Samaan Society, many women move towards self-employment and buy e-rickshaws to take the passengers to their destinations. In this work, They earn 500 to 1000 rupees every day.

6 Photo Program page women with wheels
10 Photo Program page women with wheels
11 Photo Program page women with wheels

When I took admission in driving training, my husband said that I can’t learn driving. It is not an easy task. Initially, I found his point true. But after six months of practice I felt that I could do anything. Now I am a municipal corporation driver and drive a mini garbage truck. Now my husband also proudly says that my wife is a driver in the municipal corporation”.

Savitri – Driver, Municipal Corporation, Indore

Earlier I used to work in households to take care of myself, my children and my mother. I am separated from my husband and the responsibility of the household is on me. After working for whole day for a month it was very difficult to earn 5000 Rs. I learned driving at Samaan Society. The organization gave me practice of driving continuously for six months, as well as training like legal knowledge, communication skills, self-defense and first aid. The organization put me in a job at Hotel Marriott. Today I get 10000 Rs salary. Now I take care of the education of my children. Due to increased income I send them to coaching institute as well. Due to good salary I send my children for coaching too.

Shahnaz Shah – Driver, Hotel Marriott, Indore

I never got an opportunity to go to school and I was married at an early age. My husband died after 5 years of marriage. After husband’s death the upbringing of my three children fell on me. I used to earn a meager 4000 Rs with difficulty washing dishes at houses. It was very difficult to run the household. I had various fears due to living alone. I used to be scared going to work. One of my relatives told me about driving training of Samaan Society. She too was taking training there. On her insistence I took admission in Samaan Society’s driving training school. The particular thing about this training was that the process that was going on there and the discussions that took place gave me courage and I dtopped getting scared. The organization taught me reading writing too. The people at Samaan Society gave me a slogan ‘Don’t be scared, fight’. Starting with that slogan I learned driving and first time got selected as driver in International Waste Management Pvt. Ltd. I drive heavy vehicle here. I get 9000 Rs salary and the provident fund is deposited too. Now I am fully capable of bringing up my children.“

Anita Vamniya – Driver, International Waste Management Pvt. Ltd.

My husband too is a driver but it was very difficult to run the household on his salary only. I too caught a complicated skin infection. Husband also used to be ill often, so he had to take leave from work many times. In this situation the economic condition of the household worsened. It had become difficult to feed the family of five people, including three children. Meanwhile, the workers of the Samaan Society organized a meeting in our neighborhood, in which women were told about the driving training. Upon hearing them, I thought why shouldn’t, I start this profession by taking training in driving. When asked for permission by husband, he first refused and said that the employment of driving is not for women. But he accepted on my insistence. I started training in the institution. The special matter is that people of the Samaan society listen to all our problems and try to solve them. Earlier I used to get treatment for my skin infection by a quack at my locality. They advised me to get treatment from a specialist doctor. With that treatment, I have been completely cured. After the driving training the institution got me placed as a driver in Neocorp Company. Here I used to get 9000 per month. Later I chose a job with higher salary. As of today I’m working on 11000 Rs per month as driver“.

Shobha Vishvkarma, Driver

November 2024
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