View from a Safa Tempo

I spent much of today riding in the back of a three-wheeled electric vehicle that somehow, improbably, holds 12 people, not including the driver, a woman named Maya, one of the first female safa tempo drivers in Kathmandu.

Maya has made a living for herself, her children and her extended family by dint of much hard work and personal sacrifice. When she first started driving these vehicles, women were rare behind their wheel ... and they were harassed. Now she's not only become a fixture on her route but has trained other women who drive for a living, too.

When she finished her 12-hour-plus shift, Maya took us to her house and made us a cup of tea. Serving others ... again. The view from a safa tempo is almost all she sees. I wish she could see herself as I see her — a model of serving others.