Rebuilding with Resilience- Priti’s Inspiring Journey

“I have been struggling to afford daily necessities, so receiving the 17-item hygiene kit has been immensely helpful for both me and my child. Without this support, I couldn’t have managed to get these essential items in this hour of crisis”, said an elated Priti

Priti, a resident of Village Kalthar, Post Office Bahanu, Tehsil Baldwara, District Mandi, comes from a poor-income background. Her husband, a truck operator Late Sh. Vinod Kumar, tragically passed away in a road accident 2.5 years ago. Priti has a nine-year-old daughter who is a fourth-grade student at the Government Primary School in Kalthar village. Following her husband’s untimely death, this young woman faced significant challenges in providing basic support for herself and her daughter. With the support of the Gram Panchayat Pradhan and other Panchayati Raj members, she secured a position as a Mid-Day Meal worker at the same school, facilitated by the compassionate intervention of the chief minister.

With this job, Priti is now managing to support herself and her daughter. Just as everything was falling into place, disaster struck Priti and her family, when her home was completely washed away by the flash floods of August 2023. This led the family to again grapple with the financial loss and the subsequent financial constraint.

In January 2024, as part of the ‘India Flood Response -2023’ project, Bal Raksha Bharat, in collaboration with Zee Entertainment, began interventions at the catchment area of Health and Wellness Center in Kalthar. On January 11, 2024, the BRB project team provided 30 hygiene kits to needy families in the Kalthar Panchayat. Ms. Sangeeta Devi, a Frontline Health Worker, and two Bal Raksha Bharat staff members led a community sensitization session on personal hygiene and distributed the kits. Priti Devi, one of the recipients, expressed her gratitude during the distribution. She highlighted her financial constraints in affording daily necessities and noted the immense utility and importance of the 17-item hygiene kit for both herself and her child, which she otherwise could not afford. The aid visibly uplifted her spirits, so much so that she voluntarily sensitizes her communities about health and hygiene factors now.

Soumi Halder

Manager-Program Campaign and Communication, Programme Support

“ With over 20 years of dedicated experience in the social development sector, I am passionate about championing child rights and community empowerment through innovative communication strategies. I am Manager for Programme Campaigns and Communication with Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children)."