Kannur: Students refurbish worn-out cycles for distribution to poor children

Credit: Special Arrangement

Credit: Special Arrangement

Credit: Special Arrangement

While most students spend their summer vacations at home or on family trips, a group of students from Kannur were busy gathering abandoned and worn-out bicycles and refurbishing them for distribution to kids from low-income families.

Volunteers of the Kerala Police’s Students Police Cadet programme at Shenoy Smaraka Government Higher Secondary School at Payyanur in Kannur district did the innovative activity. Around 120 bicycles were pooled from Kannur and Kasaragod districts and 105 of those were already reconditioned.

A workshop on recycling products at the SPC camp inspired the concept of reusing bicycles that could be used by students from families that couldn’t afford to buy new cycles for their kids.

Also Read | Recycling can release massive amounts of microplastics, finds study, raising questions about sustainability

SPC programme in-charge C V Raju told DH that the students themselves made a request through social media seeking unused or worn-out cycles. The request received a good response, with people from Kannur as well as neighbouring Kasaragod offering to donate their used or worn-out cycles.

One person offered the service of his pickup van to collect the cycles. A cycle mechanic offered to guide the students in reconditioning the cycles. Around 70 SPC members, including girls, were involved in it.

“Many cycles were in good condition and many in very bad conditions. On average, around Rs 1,500 was required for reconditioning each cycle. Financial assistance from voluntary organisations, individuals, teachers and parents is sought for the purpose,” said Raju.

Class teachers and local body ward members helped in identifying students from low-income families who could not afford to buy cycles. Formal distribution of the recycled cycles will be done by Kerala Assembly speaker A N Shamseer on June 1.