Case Study 1 For Cheniram and his family ‘Dipbahan is the only way of breathing!’

19th July, 2009 is a memorable day for Cheniram Das. It was the day when he took a Dipbahan to his dwelling place in Bonda in the outskirts of Guwahati. As soon as he arrived with his tricycle, nearby people thronged his rented house to have a glance. A festival like ambience came into foray. Cheniram and his wife started worshipping the tricycle with traditional way of practice. For them, it seems to be everything to their life. Cheniram is at his late 30’s along with his wife and two boy children; one being five years old and other 3 years old. Presently they are living at a rented house at Bonda village in the outskirt of Guwahati.
It is seven years hence; Cheniram migrated to Guwahati from his Haibargaon of Nagaon District along with his family. He got a job as a security guard in private company placed by a placement agency. However, he has been underpaid that was not as per the agreement. On the other hand, the placement agency harassed him in the name of their fees as they thought he has been getting a job under their assistance. He thrived hard in this situation for six months. But tolerance also has some time limit; eventually he resigned his security job. Then, he started working as daily labourer in and around Bonda under some contractor for cutting hills and carrying soil. Therein again, he was ill-treated and treated as beast with weighty works. But there was no way; he continued this way of livelihood until that composed night while he had listened to a radio programme that broadcasted the story of Rickshaw Bank. Though he has seen Dipbahan earlier, he was not keen; but the story of radio programmes enthused him a lot along with his wife. Next day, he did not go for his daily wage and moved his head towards the Rickshaw Bank office in Guwahati. On the way, he met several members of the project and listened to their stories of ascent. Arriving at the project office, he discussed with the branch coordinator of his pathetic story along with his interest and in subsequent stages, he took a rickshaw (Dipbahan) with all formalities.
Having taken the tricycle, he smiles and opined that this Dipbhan can only bring a sense of worth to his life. Now, Mr Cheniram becomes an inspiring member to hundreds of other with his entrepreneurship spirit