Mobile tricycle library – Bicicloteca

November 9, 2012

for the homeless in Sao Paulo

Some people manage to get out of a hopeless situation by hanging on to their creative ideas and pursue them with passion and dedication. The man in the following incredible story is one of the people who launched a great and successful idea. Due to his dream and passion he left his homeless existence behind and transformed himself into a great entrepreneur bringing literature and knowledge to the homeless with a mobile library on a tricycle.

A book can change your life!

After reading the book “Animal Farm” by George Orwell, a former homeless man managed to get off the streets and now manages one of the most innovative projects of Public Libraries ever heard – A mobile library on a tricycle.

61-year-old Robson Mendonça was homeless a year ago until he read George Orwell’s book while he was learning how to read. It inspired him to get off the streets in São Paulo. He figured that if reading could help him, it could also help other homeless people as well. He then started collecting books through donations and delivering them to the homeless. However, with a small backpack and the weight of the books, it limited his wish to deliver greater quantity of books to more homeless people.

Intrigued by his story, Green Mobility Institute built a tricycle, the Bicicloteca, for him so that he can carry 300 books per day, without the need for fuel. It is a sustainable, cheap and safe vehicle.

Furthermore, through the partnership with AES Eletropaulo, Bicicloteca received a renewable 100% clean energy system that captures the solar energy and uses it to power the on board 3G wireless router and shares the internet access with others on the street.