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For sixty-year-old Gawalanbai Ujagare, every single rupee is like a thousand as she earns just ₹6,000 per month, working as a waste picker in the city. While many in the city are still busy hoarding groceries and vegetables during the lockdown, poor Gawalanbai felt that her country needs her help in the fight against the virus. She donated hard-earned savings of ₹15,000 to the Chief Minister’s relief fund. She has a simple logic behind her action — it doesn’t matter if you are poor or rich. What matters is your intention and will to help others.
Pune citizens came to know about Gawalanbai’s contribution only after State Home Minister Anil Deshmukh tweeted that despite living in a slum, Gawalanbai’s spirit is commendable and the State needs such sensitive fighters to overcome the crisis. Along with other hundreds of waste pickers, Gawalanbai continues to collect door-to-door garbage to keep the city clean.
Anonymous heroes
Gawalanbai is not the only coronavirus warrior in the State. A group of village women in Daulatabad used their sewing skills to stitch hundreds of masks and distributed them free to the villagers. Many self-help groups have jumped into the action to cater to the need for masks. Daulatabad women are now getting professional work orders for masks from medical stores in nearby villages, which is helping them earn a livelihood for their families in the hour of crisis.
In the Marathwada region, women are helping to spread information about coronavirus and providing essential requirements to the needy. Women farmers have identified needy families in villages and are providing them with food grain.
Many farmers across the State are distributing free food grain and vegetables to daily labourers. In Majalgaon, a farmer distributed vegetables while in Nashik, farmer Pravin Patil distributed about 20 quintals of wheat to the poor. Farmers who are not able to take their produce to market are reaching slum areas in nearby cities to distribute vegetables.
Interestingly, politicians who are providing help to the poor are ensuring that they get clicked and the food grain packets have their pictures and party symbol. However, the poor who have pitched in with the help prefer to remain anonymous.
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