What drives innovation? My personal answer is having an impulse to improve on a basic need. In this case, a group of Rutgers students are hoping to transform a traditional method in transportation to something affordable and accessible to the low-income masses.
I was first made aware of this fundraising challenge through Facebook, and am so excited to see its financial achievements. While I may not personally know any of the team members nor am I related to anyone living in the target Orangi Town, Pakistan region, one can absolutely empathize with the need to bring affordable transportation to such a locale, improving the quality of life for such citizens. It also looks like the team has developed a low-energy system to run the rickshaw service, I am a huge champion of efforts in bringing empowerment to underrepresented communities, and facility of reliable transportation stimulates economic opportunity and success. Here's hoping the startup becomes a reality!