Why this project exists
In rural farming communities across Nasarawa State, a hand-pedal tricycle is often the only way a polio survivor or a person with a physical disability can reach the market, the farm, the clinic or the place of worship. It is not a convenience. It is how people earn a living, keep their independence and stay part of community life.
Unpaved roads and rocky paths wear these tricycles down quickly. Bearings seize, chains snap, tyres tear and hand-cranks bend. A repair that costs around ₦15,000 is out of reach for many owners, and there are few mechanics nearby with the right parts. When a tricycle breaks, its owner can be stuck at home for months, cut off from income and from other people.
What we will do
KCDI will run a focused two-day pop-up repair clinic in Nasarawa Eggon. We will bring replacement parts, welding equipment and skilled hands directly to the community, so riders do not have to travel or pay for repairs.
Each of the 15 tricycles will receive a full overhaul: puncture-resistant tyres and heavy-duty inner tubes, a new drive chain, fresh axle bearings, brake and cable adjustment, frame welding and reinforcement where needed, rust treatment and rear safety reflectors.
Built with local hands
The repairs will be carried out by local bicycle mechanics and welders, including artisans who themselves live with disability. They will be paid a fair day rate. This keeps the money in the community and keeps repair skills close to the people who need them.
Lasting beyond the clinic
Every rider will leave with a home maintenance kit: a portable pump, a spanner set and a puncture repair kit. Mechanics will show each owner simple checks and fixes, so that a flat tyre or loose chain no longer means weeks at home.
Budget ($1,000)
- $420 — 30 puncture-resistant tyres and 30 heavy-duty inner tubes - $180 — 15 drive chains, master links and axle bearings - $150 — welding consumables, steel patches, rust primer, brake cables and reflectors - $150 — fair day-stipends for 3 local mechanics and welders over two days - $100 — 15 rider home maintenance kits
How we will report
KCDI will record each tricycle before and after repair, with the owner's consent, and publish a short report of the clinic, the parts used and the spending against this budget.