This trans woman was begging on India’s streets. A donated electric rickshaw changed her life
Associated Press
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Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, stands next to her electric auto rickshaw as she speaks to The Associated Press in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, displays a tattoo which reads the name of her former partner at her home in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, looks for customers to ferry in her electric auto rickshaw at a vegetable market in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, rides her blue roofed electric auto rickshaw past a construction site in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, looks for customers to ferry in her electric auto rickshaw on a busy street in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, chats with fellow auto rickshaw drivers as she waits for customers to ferry in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Electric vehicles sales are skyrocketing, and experts say its crucial that everyone benefits from these big moves toward clean energy. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, waits for customers to ferry in her electric auto rickshaw on a busy street in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. I have regular customers who range from vegetable vendors to mothers in my neighborhood who prefer to send their daughters to schools and colleges with me, said Preethi. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, rides her blue roofed electric auto rickshaw through a market in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Preethi said she wants to see more people take up electric vehicles, particularly other transgender women. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)An elderly lady with a load of vegetables travels in an electric auto rickshaw driven by Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. I have regular customers who range from vegetable vendors to mothers in my neighborhood who prefer to send their daughters to schools and colleges with me, said Preethi. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, applies lipstick as she gets ready at home before ferrying passengers in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Preethi said she wants to see more people take up electric vehicles, particularly other transgender women. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, bargains with a vendor selling bedsheets while she waits for passengers to ferry them in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, rides her electric auto rickshaw looking for passengers in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, left, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, hands over a sack of vegetables to her customer who traveled in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, drinks tea as she takes a break between ferrying passengers in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, looks for customers at a vegetable market to ferry in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, walks out with students of Shishu Mandir, an organization which provided her an electric auto rickshaw to earn her livelihood, in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, gets ready at home before leaving for work to ferry passengers in her electric auto rickshaw in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, carries a bunch of vegetables for her customer who hired her electric auto rickshaw for a ride in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. I have regular customers who range from vegetable vendors to mothers in my neighborhood who prefer to send their daughters to schools and colleges with me, said Preethi. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, parks her electric auto rickshaw next to a bus stop to look for passengers in Bengaluru, India, Wednesday, July 12, 2023. Electric vehicles sales are skyrocketing, and experts say its crucial that everyone benefits from these big moves toward clean energy. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)
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Preethi, a 38-year-old transgender woman who uses only her first name, stands next to her electric auto rickshaw as she speaks to The Associated Press in Bengaluru, India, Monday, July 10, 2023. She's now one of millions of electric vehicle owners in India, but one of very few to have received an EV through a charitable donation. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)