In the Philippines, pedicabs (bike-taxis) are a very common mode of transportation. Most "drivers" pedal long days under the sun (from 9 to 10 hours a day), in an attempt to earn some money to support their families.

Our project!

As a Daughter of Charity, my wish is to help as much as I can drivers from Naga City and nearby towns.

Drivers are usually heads of household, unemployed men or young people who cannot find a job, limited by their lack of education or training.

Every morning, as early as 7 am, bike-taxi drivers are on the alert to find as many customers as they can – children going to school, townspeople going to the office, the market, the hospital, and other places. They usually do not take time to eat before pedaling under harsh conditions. They only have breakfast around 8 or 9 am before going back on the street until 1 pm, when they go for a quick lunch break. Provided they have money.

A bike-taxi driver earns the equivalent of 3.60 € a day. Yet, he has to subtract 0,90 € to this sum to rent the bike-taxi. This means that a man who works hard pedaling for 9 to 10 hours returns home with only 2.70 €, barely enough to feed his family. Recently, bike-taxi drivers have been working on their homes, which typhoon Nina destroyed greatly during the Christmas period (December 2016). Since they cannot be everywhere, they tend to share bike-taxis between themselves to save on the rental. But what they earn is not sufficient.

My partners and I have therefore decided to set up a distribution of meals for them, so that they do not spend their money on lunches and save it to decently feed their families in the evening.

Meals will be prepared in the kitchen of the USIHSD and will be served once a week to five groups of drivers at the bike-taxi station (where they are waiting for passengers). Women volunteer to help in the kitchen and distribute the meals.

So, I call upon you today to help us pay for a part of the utensils and food we need for the next 6 months!

Many thanks in advance for supporting this project!