The Sewa Nyaya Uththan Foundation (SNUF) team is known for working tirelessly to arrange resources for Hindu migrants from Pakistan. However, what many don’t know is that they also don’t hesitate to put in manual labour to complete unfinished houses for these vulnerable families.
Our team member Mayur Bhosale visited one such displaced community in Jodhpur’s Gangana village, Rajasthan, to see how such families were faring after they had received materials from us to complete their houses.
Mayur was surprised to see some people still living in unfinished houses. When he asked some of them why SNUF’s shelter support didn’t achieve the desired impact, he was saddened to hear their response.
A resident named Daulat Ram Bhil, who is nearly completing the construction of his house, explained that all men go to work during the day, and they return exhausted at night. After a tiring day, it can be challenging to continue the construction work.
Some men took breaks and were able to finish the work over a week. However, others, especially those with elderly members or only women and children, faced more challenges. They are slowly helping each other to finish the work.
The lack of electricity at night in Gangana village makes the situation worse for these families.
Mayur took it upon himself to complete the unfinished houses of those families.
Why is SNUF helping these families to build houses?
These are Hindu families that left every asset behind in Pakistan to escape religious persecution there. They reached India after using all their financial resources for visas and related paperwork required to cross the border.
SNUF Founder Swati Goel Sharma, an award-winning journalist and author, distributed these shelter-building materials to more than 70 families after the local authorities had demolished their homes, calling them “illegal structures” a few months ago.
About SNUF
SNUF was founded in 2018 by Swati Goel Sharma and Sanjeev Newar. Since then, it has grown into a team of dedicated individuals who work tirelessly to support its various initiatives. One of these initiatives is the resettlement of Hindu refugees in India.
Apart from shelter support, SNUF also runs free education centres for children from these families.