Kedar Timalsina, 41, of Chandrapur-1, is usually drenched in sweat in this scorching heat while driving his e-rickshaw on the Chandrapur-Gaur route. But even though Timalsina earns a meagre Rs 300-1,000 each day, he still sets aside about 20 percent of his income for the needy ones.

Timalsina contributes to the welfare of helpless children. According to him, he has donated about Rs 24,000 for the cause up-till now. Locals are well aware about his noble deeds.

“I have been engaged in social service for the past five years,” said Timalsina, informing that he has rescued seven street children and sent them to Manab Seba Aashram in Hetauda. He has donated food stuffs and clothes to around 800 households of the impoverished Musahar settlement.

Timalsina is a household name in Chandrapur for his social work. Buddha Darlami, a local resident, said that Timalsina was a role model in the society. “We are happy to have such a selfless and helpful person in our community,” said Darlami.

Timalsina said he was encouraged to do social work after witnessing harsh conditions of the impoverished. “Five years ago, kids in Musahar settlement were shivering to death due to the bone-chilling cold. I could not see them in that state. That is when I first started collecting warm clothes for them,” he said. According to Timalsina, he has also provided food to over 140 people from the Chepang community in Makwanpur and Chitwan. “Some donors have also helped,” said Timalsina.

Several organisations have feted him around a dozen times for his exemplary work in social service. Timalsina has only has one kattha of land and the e-rickshaw registered as his properties. He lives with his wife, two daughters and a son.