K Mathavan was born in Kaluvankerny – a small fishing village off Chenkadali – about 24 Km north of Batticaloa 52 years ago. He studied only upto Grade 5 – a norm in those days in remote villages. His father was a Bicycle repairer. Mathavan took to Cycling as natural instinct at the age of about 6 years. He also was closely associated with his fathers’ trade from his very early life.
Talking to MJFCF during their recent evaluation visit Mathavan said “I have been in this business for more than 22 years now since my fathers’ demise. Every household will have atleast 1 bicycle in these villages. Business is good although I can’t say exactly how many bicycles I would attend in a day. But when I total up the earnings at the end of the day, I will know to a certain extent how many bicycles I would have attended.
Hence I am a very much in demand. Even sometimes at night some people come to attend to some urgent needs because they may have planned some journey very early the next day. So I attend to those needs too. Of course there are also bad days when there is no business at all. Especially when it rains and people don’t use their bicycles so much”.
Mathavan is married to Pushpa for 27 years. They have 4 children and a Grand son too. The eldest is working abroad and the 2nd son who is married helps him with his work and also runs a small boutique mainly to sell kerosene oil for the fishing boats.” I am my own employer and work from my home supported by my wife. When she finishes her household work she helps me out and gives my tea and meals as and when I need it. So that a big help and I have the family always together even whilst at work. My son is also trained with this work so he can deputize me in the vent I am not available when some one is in need. “The closest town next to this village is Vavunathivu which is about 4 Km and if I am not here anyone who needs to attend to his bicycle breakdown will have to push it to Vavunathivu”, Mathavan said.
Recalling his selection as a beneficiary of the MJFCFs SEP programme, Mathavan said that it was indeed a deed of God. “The compressor and tools I got through MJFCF about 4 months ago was something we never dreamt of. No organization, despite so many working for the betterment of people in this part of the country since the war and the Tsunami has ever looked at us – the bicycle repairers who provide the day to day servicing and maintenance of this most environmentally friendly and costless mode of transport of the common man. Be it the elderly, the school children, the fisherman, the midwife – all of them use the bicycles here. There are about 2500 bicycles in part of Kaluvankerny and I am the only repairer apart from Jegatheesan who lives in the other side of Kaluvankerny. My earnings have increased by about 2 – 3000 Rupees a month since we got these equipment as we now attend to urgent needs of tractors, Motor cycles and some other delivery vehicles too which come to Kaluvankerny. I save 500/00 Rupees monthly with the savings scheme introduced by Pastor Ravi and I am also involved in a “Seetu” – a thrift scheme with fellow villagers. “
Selliah Jegatheesan – another MJFCFs SEP beneficiary, born and bread in Kaluvankerny is 50 years who lives in the other side of Kaluvankerny. He is also engaged in this trade for the past 20 – 22 years (having learnt the trade from his father) and is father of 2 children also expressed experiences and sentiments similar to Mathavan. He too having studied only upto 6th Standard rode his 1st bicycle when he was 7 years and since then his life has been inter linked with the bicycle.
K Pakiyarajah – is disabled (Polio since 1 ½ years old) is 51 years old. Not married and living with his elder sister in Kommandurai. Without being a burden to anyone he earns about 200 – 300 Rupees a day repairing bicycles in his make shift shed by the road side. ” I earn about 50 Rupees a day more than I earned previously, since I got some tools for my trade from MJFCF whom we have never seen or heard before. They may have been sent by God to me. I also got a tricycle from them for my mobility. There are about 200 bicycles in this Colony and those living along this road attend to their bicycle repair needs from me, when ever I am here. I give 50 Rupees a day to my brother for safe keeping and saving to meet my needs when I can’t work anymore” said Pakiyarajah, when MJFCF visited him on 18/11.
Navaraasa Navanesan is 26 years old and not married. He supports his mother and 4 sisters. 1 elder sister is married and the other is in the University. 2 other younger sisters are schooling. He too has studied only upto Grade 8. Then he joined his Master (his trainer in the Bicycle repair trade) 5 years ago. After the sudden demise of his Employer, Navanesan continued his business and now he himself is a reputed Bicycle repairer. Since the last visit of MJFCF to his workshop which is on the mainTrincomalee Road, it appears his business is thriving and he now has an assistant too.
“Quality of work and prompt attention to customer needs has been my secret to my improved business and income. My workshop being located on the main road is another advantage for me. Bicycle being the common mans popular transport which also doe not harm the environment at all is used by every one here. School children, Firewood sellers, Teachers, Vendors etc. So I am proud that I am also part of this chain as I attend to all repairs and servicing of this most popular transport mode. My earning has improved tremendously since I got a Compressor through MJFCF and I earn about 500 – 1000 Rupees a day. I have an Insurance policy to which I pay 2000 Rupees every quarter.”
Being a young entrepreneur without much success in education, Navanesan says “It’s not necessary that some one must go to University to do well in life. Even with just the basic education, if you have the will and if you learn a skill like me and if you commit your self to what you do and really work hard on it you too can achieve what a Doctor, an Engineer or a Lawyer could do in term s getting a reasonable income and managing your family and life. That’s my advice to youngsters although I myself am still a youngster”.
MJFCF team also visited Rahulan – a dumb but a very enthusiastic and popular bicycle repairer in Arasady in Batticaloa. He was busy at work with a few customers. One of the customers we spoke to said that he was indeed a very good worker and attends to all customer needs expeditiously and qualitatively.
Somapala 62 years was born in Kurunegala. He came to Batticaloa when he was about 7 years and since them he is very much a resident of Jeyanthipuram in Batticaloa.. He was the 1st Bicycle repairing beneficiary of MJFCF. A father of 4, he manages his small workshop and earns about 500 – 600 Rupees a day. When I stared to work in a garage I was only 11 years and my pay was 10 Rupees a month said Somapala. When MJFCF team visited him he was busy servicing 2 small new Kids tricycles.