All-women e-auto rally makes it to Hyderabad

Moving Women (MOWO) trains women in Hyderabad to drive electric vehicles, empowering them for livelihood opportunities nationwide.

A mother of three from Charminar, a homemaker until 10 months ago, has taken to plying autorickshaws in the bustling streets of the Old City after being trained by the Moving Women (MOWO) Social Initiative. 

Naseem is among the 3,500+ women who have been trained on two and three electric vehicles over the last five years since the inception of the not-for-profit organisation. 

Now, Naseem will lead a rally of eight women riding electric two-wheelers and three-wheelers who arrived in Hyderabad after a 1,220-kilometre drive from Kanyakumari on their way to Jammu. The 3,333-kilometre rally, starting from Kanyakumari via Madurai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Nagpur, Indore, Chennai, and Delhi, will reach Jammu by the end of March.

Moving Women (MOWO) Social Initiative, a Hyderabad-based not-for-profit organisation, is conducting a pan-India women-led electric vehicle rally to mark its fifth year of operations.

“About 10 months ago, I met the MOWO team in Darrusalam. They were training women to drive two and three-wheelers. That was the turning point of my life. I finished training and started driving an electric auto in Charminar between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. I make about ₹40,000 a month and am able to support my family,” said Naseem

Naseem’s husband is a tutor, and their kids are students. When asked about the societal reaction, she said, “Though I faced criticism from relatives, my life partner’s support was all I needed.”