KOCHI: When members of Lions Club of Kakkanad saw abandoned bicycles in the corner of flat parking slots, they had an idea to recycle them. They noticed that most of them were average-sized and no longer being used by the owners. The idea to recycle these abandoned cycles was conceived back in 2015, says Lions Club president Binoy Rajan. Then, the club could find only 50 such bicycles and had gifted them to children from less-privileged homes. The initiative was named ‘Project Recycle’.
“Bicycles are not cheap these days. One with minimum specifications will cost between `5,000 and `6,000. When the pandemic has stripped most people of their income, it may be impossible for most poor families to afford them,” he said.
The abandoned bicycles are collected and repaired on behalf of the club and then distributed. Identifying the beneficiaries was another challenge. The club made preliminary enquiries to find the right candidates by checking within the club’s acquaintances. When the enquiries regarding donation grew in number, the club started taking the help of the councillors and ASHA workers, said Binoy.
“Due to Covid, many children with bicycles could not take them outside, so they were left in the parking lot. For the club, spending some effort and money on these could brighten up the lives of a less-privileged children. From now, we are planning to distribute a minimum of 50 cycles annually,” he said. Seven bicycles were collected in a single day from just one flat in Kakkanad. Another 18 have already reached the club and will be repaired soon. Wish to donate cycles? Contact 94470 24669.