Imagine having a single source of income that is reaping rich dividends. You would want to protect it with all that you have. And then imagine that source of income falling apart. It can well cause your entire life to fall apart too, and make you lose faith in fate.
Sonu, a food cart owner in northeast Delhi, has had a similar tale to tell. He used to sell chhole-kulche with the help of his five brothers, and the business was all that the family had to sustain itself. The business was running well too, and the family had started dreaming of a better life.
Those dreams had no sooner grown clearer than disaster struck. Sonu and his family were caught in the crossfire of riots last year, as attackers vandalised their shop. The brothers had placed their food cart at the usual place and were going about their business when a mob went on the rampage. Little did they know at the start of the day that they would not be able to put up their food stall for quite some time to come.
As the attack happened, people started running here and there, and Sonu and his brothers also ran to take cover, leaving their food cart at the mercy of the attackers. The mob showed no mercy and destroyed the food cart.
Again, innocent people faced the brunt of a bloody political game, while the politicians paid only lip service to their promise of extending support to those affected by the riots.
With a flourishing business razed to the ground and no other options readily available, Sonu and his family saw their nights getting sleepless, mornings grief-stricken and evenings hopeless.
Sewa Nyaya Utthan Foundation reached out to the troubled family and extended a relief grant. Sonu thanked us for our timely support.
At times, it gets emotionally draining for us to hear about such heart-rending stories of misfortune, deprivation, hardship and suffering, and to rush to their aid of those that are less privileged. Yet, the satisfaction and sense of gratitude on the faces of those that we have helped keep us going.
Do support us so that we can build courage and motivation and prevent precious lives from collapsing.