WITH a duffle bag slung over his shoulder, Mani Keshwa walks the streets with purpose, not seeking handouts, but offering a service.
His pitch is simple, a quick “magic clean” to restore stained headlights and rear lights, leaving them clearer and brighter.
For passing motorists, it’s a small fix.
For Keshwa, it’s a way to get by.
He prefers earning his money rather than begging and carries no shame in doing so.
“I have an elderly mother with limited mobility, and I’m her caregiver, so I can’t hold a full-time job,” Keshwa explains, aware that some may question why a healthy man chooses what appears to be quick, easy work.
His mother, Tairamma, is 87 and requires constant care.
“My mother is dependent on me. I make sure she’s cleaned up and fed before I head out to earn whatever little I can, and I return home before 2pm, sometimes even earlier.”
Keshwa lives in a squatter settlement at Jittu Estate in Nabua, and his daily route on foot takes him along the busy Suva corridor and beyond.
On a good week, he earns around $180, averaging between $20 and $30 a day.
“The income helps with food, bills and mum’s medicine. I get by, and for that I thank my mum. Without her prayers and God’s blessings, I wouldn’t keep moving.
“And I also owe it to my customers.”
A respectful approach
Keshwa says his approach to motorists, whether at places of business, parking areas, or along the roadside is always respectful.
While some decline, many accept.
“I ask drivers if they’d like their headlights, fog lamps or tail lights polished to restore their original look,” he says. “I tell them to only pay if they’re satisfied.”
Often, one clean leads to more.
“Once I finish one light, customers usually ask me to do the rest.”
He adds that the same level of detail work would typically cost between $25 and $30 per light.
Despite working on the streets, Keshwa says he has never been refused payment, faced harassment or robbed, a reflection of the quiet dignity in his work and the respect he shows others.
