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WHO THEY
ARE...

Deeper Glance

Kucoon's Story.

Mohammad Kucoon is a middle-aged man whose life took a challenging turn in high school when his mother fell seriously ill. As her health deteriorated due to old age and various diseases, Kucoon had to step up as the head of the household for his three younger sisters. His mother’s spending of their remaining savings on cigarettes compounded their struggles, and soon, she required urgent medical care. However, Kucoon’s limited savings were insufficient to cover her medication. He recalls the painful screams of his mother, feeling helpless as he watched her suffer.

Kuccon often reflects on whether others face similar hardships and inquired with the Hope Project Team about life in America and its differences. Although he has always dreamed of moving to America, his financial constraints and exhausting work hours have prevented him from doing so. Through conversations with Kucoon, we learned of his determination not only to escape his current circumstances but also to use the rickshaw provided by the Hope Project to support his mother. "I’ll start early every morning and work as long as it takes to earn enough for her medication," Kucoon says.

Farouk's  Story.

Mohammad Farouk shares that he comes from a struggling family of rickshaw pullers. He can’t recall when he first started pedaling through the community, offering rides to passengers. He often leaves home at sunrise and returns long after sunset, his legs exhausted and his ankles swollen from the relentless competition for fares.

We learned that his struggle is compounded by not owning his own rickshaw; he must pay a portion of his meager earnings to the rickshaw owner. Farouk explains that many in the slums are trapped in this exploitation because it is their only source of income.

One harrowing experience left him in tears: after pedaling for twelve hours and earning a substantial profit, Farouk was forced to surrender half of his earnings to the owner. When he refused, he was beaten and robbed of all his money. Farouk reflects that people like him from the slums rarely make it into the media or become a concern for the general population. "If all of us were to die, it wouldn’t make a difference to them," says Mohammad Farouk.

Sakib's  Story.

Sakib Hussein, an 18-year-old, has been working daily since he was twelve to ensure he and his mother have enough to eat. Reflecting on his past, he remembers playing cricket with friends and dreaming of joining Bangladesh’s national team, the Tigers. However, the need to work to provide meals for himself and his mother kept him from pursuing his cricketing dreams.

Sakib has longed to be free from his work as a house servant. He recalls the time he owned a rickshaw, which allowed him to set his own fare, unlike his current work. Now, Sakib plans to use the earnings from his new rickshaw to buy books and study for the SSC and HSC exams, aiming for admission into Bangladesh’s prestigious B.U.E.T.

Firoza lost her husband early in her marriage and has been raising her nine-year-old son alone. In her twenties, she supported her son by working as a maid and cook for various families. However, due to worsening arthritis, she can now only manage one shift, worrying about her 15-year-old son’s future and well-being.

Her son, Farhan, hated seeing his mother endure pain from early morning work, often watching her cry from the strain of bending over to sweep the floor. Determined to alleviate her suffering, Farhan has been searching for fair work but struggled to find it.

With the funding of a rickshaw, Farhan is now overjoyed. He no longer has to see his mother suffer and can work eight hours a day to buy medicine for her pain. Farhan dreams of opening his own small medicine shop in the bazaar one day.

Firoza's

Story.

Islam's  Story.

Raufiq's  Story.

Kamrun Islam found himself trapped in a cycle of continuous debt with local Banks. As the sole parent of two sons, he was left to navigate parenting alone after his wife left. Determined to be a good father, Kamrun learned to care for his children and balance his work with nurturing them.

In Bangladesh, where only the wealthiest can afford healthcare, Kamrun and his older son must work tirelessly to provide essential items like milk and medical products for his baby. Kamrun plans to use the rickshaw provided by the Hope Project to work in the morning, with his older son taking over during his rest periods. Despite his ongoing debt, Kamrun remains hopeful that his son will have opportunities he could only dream of. He invests every remaining penny into his son's future, demonstrating profound dedication and love.

Raufiq Islam, a father of three, has faced immense challenges throughout his life. From a young age, he watched children from a high-rise building across the street being driven to school, a luxury that seemed out of reach for him. His aspirations focused on securing a work as a cleaner for one of those families.

In his small home, Raufiq has had to use garbage bags to patch his roof after heavy rains.  Despite the hardships, he remains grateful and finds solace in the belief that "others have it worse."

Though he struggles to fulfill his children’s simple requests for more rice, Raufiq remains hopeful. He is determined to provide his children with opportunities he never had and works tirelessly to ensure they can attend school in the future.

Zakir's  Story.

Khalif's  Story.

Mohammud Zakir dreams of rising above the poverty that grips Bangladesh. His determination is remarkable, especially given his current lack of resources. Mohammud plans to save money and move to "America" to pursue his dream in the future.

Growing up, Mohammud earned money by making kites for local children and, at times, resorted to stealing food from nearby stores. Reflecting on his past, he tearfully acknowledged the positive influence of his parents. His father, a rickshaw wallah, works nearly 20 hours a day to support the family, struggling to provide enough food.

With the rickshaw provided by the Hope Project, Mohammud hopes to ease his father's burden and help lift his family out of poverty. 

Mirzaan Khalif’s story is deeply heartbreaking. His family struggles to put food on the table and relies on water from a nearby pump that is light-brown and undrinkable. Mirzaan is deeply concerned about his daughter’s health and nutrition, noting that he can count the bones in her body.

For Mirzaan, this harsh reality has become normal, but he sometimes loses hope for a better future. As a rickshaw driver, he feels disheartened when passengers who can afford to pay try to negotiate lower fares, showing a lack of understanding of the community’s struggles. Recently, he has faced additional difficulties due to the poor condition of his rickshaw's seats, resulting in fewer passengers. In response, we decided to provide Mirzaan with a brand-new rickshaw to improve his situation.

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CHANGE LIVES ONE RICKSHAW AT A TIME

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