- Research & Conference Papers
Negotiating Spaces of Everyday Politics
This thesis explores the multifaceted and often contradictory processes of social transformation induced by a social enterprise, using Azad & Sakha's driving skill training program as a case study.
“In 2008, the first female taxi service in New Delhi was founded by a social enterprise with the slogan “For women, by women.” Organized in a hybrid structure consisting of a non-profit division (Azad Foundation) and a business division (Sakha Consulting Wings Ltd), the initiative offers women living in extreme urban poverty an opportunity to become professional drivers through their flagship program, “Women on Wheels.” While similar initiatives exist in other parts of India, this program is unique in the capital, where gendered crime rates are highest.
Azad & Sakha’s mission extends beyond safe transport; it aims to address multiple societal challenges. They train women from the poorest segments of society, living in squatter settlements (jhuggi jhopri clusters), who face extreme marginalization and oppression. By training women to become drivers, the organization challenges traditional gender norms and addresses the prevalent violence against women in public spaces and transport. This approach is considered remarkably untraditional and controversial in a city where professional driving by women, especially from poor backgrounds, is uncommon…”
