Wajiha, the rickshaw driver

[Mabs]

Wajiha, the rickshaw driver | Multimedia | DAWN.COM

In Tangi, a town some 125 kilometres from the capital Islamabad, in the heart of the northwestern region troubled by a Taliban insurgency, 11-year-old Wajiha is the only girl driving a motorcycle rickshaw.

Her father Inamuddin used to be a proud member of the paramilitary but in July 2006 he was badlyinjured in a Taliban attack on his paramilitary check post in the northwestern valley of Swat.

After two years in hospital, he was discharged from service with a withered leg and bought a rickshaw for 40,000 rupees ($465) with his pension. At first he worked alone, and sometimes Wajiha would sit up front with him for fun. But when she realised how painful he found his wounded leg, shetook on solo shifts to earn more money.

Now she goes to school in the morning and helps her father in the afternoon, when he gets tired.

“I don’t like my daughter going out to work, but I am helpless,” said Inamuddin. Wajiha said she likes to help.

“I feel good to help my father, I also enjoy the drive, it is easy to drive motorcycle rickshaw and earn some money for the family,” she said.

“I make 150 rupees ($1.70) from three trips a day,” she said as she parked the rickshaw and ran into her home – text and photos by AFP.

Note: Can't upload the photos. Follow the link to see the photos, they are worth watching.

 

[Last Hope]

I don't know what to say. This is cute but alarming as well.
Why isin't the brave son of soil getting his pensions? That must be kept in sight.

Anyways the pictures.

11-year-old Pakistani girl Wajiha drives a three-wheel rickshaw in Tangi, a town 125 kilometres from Islamabad, in the heart of the northwestern region troubled by a Taliban insurgency. Wajiha is the only girl driving a rickshaw to earn livelihood for her family.

Inamuddin, father of 11-year-old Pakistani girl Wajiha, becoming emotional as he talks to AFP during an interview outside his house in Tangi. He used to be a proud member of the paramilitary and was badly injured in a Taliban attack on a paramilitary check post in the northwestern valley of Swat in July 2006.

Now she goes to school in the morning and helps her father in the afternoon, when he gets tired.

“I don’t like my daughter going out to work, but I am helpless,” said Inamuddin, showing his wounded leg.

Wajiha weeps as she talks to AFP during an interview outside her house in Tangi.

 

[Mabs]

^^^ What I take from this is the resilience of the people, the will of the common man to just keep pushing no matter what. This, I think is a character of the Pakistani nation which sets us apart from the others.

 

[somebozo]

^^^ What I take from this is the resilience of the people, the will of the common man to just keep pushing no matter what. This, I think is a character of the Pakistani nation which sets us apart from the others.

The pension this man is getting is plainly not enough for survival.

And yes Pakistan are known to be tough survivalists..Thats why were are still present on the world map other wise the fate of East-Pakistan awaits us!

 

[SBD-3]

I don't know what to say. This is cute but alarming as well.
Why isin't the brave son of soil getting his pensions? That must be kept in sight.

Anyways the pictures.

11-year-old Pakistani girl Wajiha drives a three-wheel rickshaw in Tangi, a town 125 kilometres from Islamabad, in the heart of the northwestern region troubled by a Taliban insurgency. Wajiha is the only girl driving a rickshaw to earn livelihood for her family.

Inamuddin, father of 11-year-old Pakistani girl Wajiha, becoming emotional as he talks to AFP during an interview outside his house in Tangi. He used to be a proud member of the paramilitary and was badly injured in a Taliban attack on a paramilitary check post in the northwestern valley of Swat in July 2006.

Now she goes to school in the morning and helps her father in the afternoon, when he gets tired.

“I don’t like my daughter going out to work, but I am helpless,” said Inamuddin, showing his wounded leg.

Wajiha weeps as she talks to AFP during an interview outside her house in Tangi.

She is a brave girl....and she should be proud rather than what i saw in the last picture. There are countless stories like her in Pakistan and they all deserve not only a thumbs up but also encouragement from society. I can recall a blind hafiz earning his livelihood through cellphone repair....such examples of resilience are hard to find, these are the people who deserve our support rather than professional beggars at every traffic signal.

 

[Last Hope]

She is a brave girl....and she should be proud rather than what i saw in the last picture.

MashAllah, and indeed she is. I have shared it on the page of my NGO on facebook. Heres what I wrote 'Please read the touching story of Wajiha, the lovely 11 year old Rickshaw driver whose life is filled with bitterness when her brave father was badly injured in fighting Taliban.
Please read her story and spread the message across in tribute to the braveness of this cute girl.

May Allah ease things for her and her family, others like her, and give them happiness and success in life as well as The Hereafter. Ameen.'

There are countless stories like her in Pakistan and they all deserve not only a thumbs up but also encouragement from society. I can recall a blind hafiz earning his livelihood through cellphone repair....such examples of resilience are hard to find, these are the people who deserve our support rather than professional beggars at every traffic signal.

No they aren't. Atleast not with me. Where ever I went in Pakistan, I can witness that.
A fellow guy who used to live in my street. This story is before my birth! My father told me about him. He was a poor guy who used to live with his family (sisters and mother) in a small rented room. He went to school and did some part time job. He collected the money and bought a rickshaw, and used to drive it. He has seen terrible times. He then saved enough money and bought 3 more rickshaws. He used to give them on 1000Rs rent everyday, which means he earned 4000 Ruppee a day.

This was a secret from family. Gradually he saved enough money to build their own home and move.
There are great examples in every household in Pakistan we ought to recognize.
.

 

[Jango]

Great tale of resilience, and hard work, and determination.

There is a Mosque right next to my house, not of the radical type, but the imam a very humble guy, very old, minimum 70 years of age, he has eaten roti with water at times even, but now he has a mosque run with his sons and grandsons, and is a respected member of the society.

Now, people have to take it in their own hands rather than wait for the government to do anything

 

[Mabs]

As we appreciate the courage of this little girl, we also need to keep in mind the fact that she's been made to carry the burden of her family at the tender age of 11. While she drives the rickshaw after coming back from the school, there are many kids who never see the inside of a classroom and spend all of their lives either as domestic help or child labor.

This menace needs our individual and collective attention. At a collective level, this requires sincere policy making and implementation. At an individual level, I refuse to take in anyone as domestic help who is in their learning age.

 

[alimukhtar]

May Allah bless her with His blessings and fulfill all her wishes...... Brave Girl

 

[qasimalinaqvi]

A great story of courage.

 

[alimukhtar]

A brave girl.... May Allah Almighty shower His blessings upon her & all of her family....... Brave Girl.... She is a example for all of us.....