KOCHI: Da mone! Ottam pokumo? (Roughly translates to: Hey boy! Will you go for a trip?)
Athinentha chetta... engotta? (Why not, brother... where to?)
Oh! Mon alla, mol ano? (Oh! Not boy, girl?)
This conversation featured in a video clip has proved the turning point for 18-year-old Alisha Ginson, a resident of Manjummel near Kochi. The video, shot by the person who hired her autorickshaw, went viral on social media and caught the attention of Minister for General Education and Labour V Sivankutty.
Alisha’s story of grit and determination moved the minister so much that he selected her as the brand ambassador of the relaunched Kerala Savaari, a state government-backed digital ride-hailing platform.
Everything happened quite unexpectedly, Alisha tells TNIE.
“Life never goes smoothly for anyone. It comes with an odd number of hiccups around every corner. My life too had such hiccups, not minor ones, in store for me while I was in Class XII. My family suffered the first blow when my father met with an accident and was rendered bedridden,” she says.
Alisha’s father ran a company that used contracts to clean houses and furniture.
“Our family started feeling the pinch. My brother dropped out of the course he was doing in Bengaluru and returned to manage the company. I also wanted to do my bit to ease the financial worries of my family,” says Alisha, who decided to make use of the driving licence she received as soon as she turned 18.
That was the birth of a driver who would zip around ferrying people in a white e-autorickshaw named ‘Manjummel Girl’.
That particular three-wheeler was used to ferry the cleaning crew to worksites.
“When I told my family about my decision, they were very supportive. My first rides were from those living near my house. I soon realised that the fare I earned was sufficient to support myself, and hence, ease some burden on my family,” Alisha says.
Initially, she earned around Rs 500 a day.
“Later, after joining Uber, I started earning Rs 600 to Rs 700. Which is a decent amount considering I don’t have to set aside funds for petrol or diesel,” says the youngster.
Every day, Alisha and ‘Manjummel Girl’ work from 5 pm to midnight. Isn’t it worrying to work late into the night, that too ferrying passengers on lonely roads?
“I’m not scared. I haven’t experienced any bad behaviour from my passengers, most of whom are male. I think my boyish get-up fools many. Also, I don’t converse much with male passengers. However, I get chummy with women,” Alisha says.
She is delighted the state government has made her the brand ambassador of its prestigious project that aims to provide a seamless travel experience for passengers while ensuring commission-free means of earning a livelihood for drivers.
“The kerala savaari app is a boon for drivers. It also has an inbuilt security feature aimed at providing passengers with a safe travel experience. The SOS button in the application sends a message to the nearest police control room,” Alisha points out.