Millennials on the Job in Wonderfully Creative Ways ... with Rickshaws

Roshni Rides,a ride-sharing rickshaw service for refugees won the $1 million Hult Prize startup contest.


For millions of displaced refugees living in camps, the ability to survive and rebuild their lives often depends on transportation.

Without it, refugee families are unable to get to hospitals, send children to schools, go to local job centers, even shop for food and everyday necessities.

"Lack of transportation robs refugees of their dignity and ability to be self-sufficient," said Gia Farooqi, co-founder of Roshni Rides.

Roshni Rides, a startup launched by four students at Rutgers Business School, studied the problem and created a solution: a rickshaw transportation network that works like a ride-sharing shuttle service.

The rickshaws take passengers on preset routes to important destinations like hospitals, schools and markets.

CNN:  Rutgers students create ride-sharing rickshaw service for refugees


The problem is clear and they set out to solve it.  Just in case you're not sure they're really Millennials behind this, here's more about the designers.

Passengers pay using pre-loaded cards, similar to the New York City subway system, said Farooqi.
The concept was presented on Saturday the annual Hult Prize competition, which challenges college students to tackle global problems.

Roshni Rides -- founded by undergraduate business students Gia Farooqi, Hasan Usmani, Moneeb Mian, and Hanaa Lakhani -- beat out five other startup finalists and earned $1 million in funding. The startup was one of 50,000 entries, up from 25,000 submissions last year.

- CNN

They haven't reached graduate school yet so it's extremely unlikely these are kids are out of their twenties and, for undergraduate school, they're probably not far into their twenties.  They are certainly Millennials and their inventiveness is impressive.


Their names may raise questions due to the inordinate number of kerfuffles regarding immigration of late so we need an introduction:

The startup piloted the program in Pakistan's Orangi Town, outside of Karachi, this summer with three rickshaws.

"The four of us are Pakistani Americans," Farooqi told CNN. "Pakistan is the biggest host country to refugees in Asia. So we thought, let's start here."

- CNN

Regardless of their original homes and we don't know if they're first generation, they present a beautiful solution which is worthy of a valid pride.  They bring that to themselves and also America.  The Rockhouse loves them because anything of this nature which works to remove the barriers between the extreme poor and everyone else is inherently in service of peace.


The interested student is invited to the source article since there's more to the story in the description of an excellent and elegant solution to the problem.  It's all the more illuminating to see when so many are seeking to cause problems but these Millennial kids are actively working toward solving them.

Hat tip and deep respect from the Rockhouse.