Silver Linings: How We Helped One and All During COVID-19 Crisis

26/08/20

Story of Change

97

For 75 years old widow Usha Bera, health problems, and pandemic resulted in great difficulties for her family. She lives in Park circus area of Kolkata with her daughter and son in law. Her daughter works as a domestic help in a residential complex, both her and her son in law remains ill and so can’t contribute to the household income. With two people facing health issues, the family had monthly medical expenses, so no savings were there to cope with this lockdown situation. They had to consequently had to depend on others’ help for their primary requirements.
Bal Raksha Bharat helped the family by providing them with a food basket. Usha says that the food basked has been of immense help to them in these difficult times. She is extremely thankful to our humanitarian team.

Shabana is a differently-abled woman. She is blind in one eye and deaf. She lives with her ailing mother and a younger brother in a small house in Kolkata’s Park Circus area. Her brother looks after her family. Post-Lockdown, her brother, a mechanic by profession, lost his job and was unable to support the family.Shabana’s family had no food to eat, and her aged mother was facing many problems due to inadequate nutrition. Bal Raksha Bharat’s food basket came as immense help for her.
Shabana is thankful to Bal Raksha Bharat and Reach India Trust for supporting her during this crucial time.

65-year-old Ms. ChabiMaity from PaschimJhawa village in block Deshapran in West Medinipur area of West Bengal is the only one in her family. Her husband died a few years back after a long battle with Cancer. She works as a domestic worker and her annual income is not more than Rs.15,000. She has a small piece of high land where she lives in a small and temporary earthen shelter. Due to the recent Cyclone, her shelter got severely damaged. She could not repair the existing housing or build new shelters due to meager income. Due to COVID-19, she lost her job. Loss of income meant no food. Bal Raksha Bharat’s team provided her with Shelter kits and Food basket.
She is extremely relieved and happy to get support from Bal Raksha Bharat. The shelter kit helped her stay safe, and the food kit ensured food for her for the next month.

61-years-old from Uttar Biramput, East Medinipur, West Bengal, has a family of 10 members. He has three daughters and five sons, all married and living separately. SkIdrish is fully blind, and so from the past 20 years, he is entirely dependent on his wife. The children don’t look after their parents.His wife Gulbahar Bibi earns for both of them by doing the work of segregating fish. Her annual income is not more than Rs.18,000/-The couple has no agricultural land; they have a small and temporary earthen shelter. The Cyclone damaged their shelter from one side, thereby adding to their problems. Gulbahar Bibi’s fishing work completely stopped due to COVID -19. They lost all their income. Therefore, they were facing an acute food crisis.
Bal Raksha Bharat’s team provided them with food and shelter kits. The couple is delighted to get support from Bal Raksha Bharat. It is helping them have shelter safely and food security for one month.

Mafidan Bewa is 110 years old, living in Kajla village from Deshapran Block in East Medinipur, West Bengal. Her sons live separately and do not look after her. During Covid-19, she shifted to her youngest son’s home. His main livelihood is bamboo basket-making, but due to the lockdown, the entire business got affected, and the family faced an acute food crisis. The annual income of her son’s family is not more than Rs.22,000/-. They have no agricultural land. Due to the Cyclone, their one-room shelter also got badly damage.
Bal Raksha Bharat’s team provided them with food and shelter kits and visited her house and interacted with them. The family has received Food basket and Shelter kits. They are delighted to get support from Bal Raksha Bharat, which helps to belong in the shelter safely and ensure food security for one month.

Gaurav Sharma

Content Reviewer

“I am an editor and technical specialist at Bal Raksha Bharat, responsible for publishing articles and posts. My role involves evaluating content for consistency, and ensuring a positive user experience across the website."