July 22, 2021
Dear Marc,
Greetings to you and hope you and your family are doing well. I have managed to take my first jab from the government hospital for free but my daughter had to take her first jab from Apollo Clinic and it cost her Rs. 780 due to non-availability of free vaccine.
Marc, this time (July works) I set off with two volunteers for villages Solgohalia and Naridana which is in Baruipur Tehsil of South Twenty Four Parganas district in West Bengal. As we travelled interior into the villages from the main road the scenario kept changing. The roads became broken and difficult to travel and the beautiful houses were left behind to give way to shacks, mud and thatched houses or shanties made of cloth and plastic with teeming children, old people wearing tattered and dirty clothes.
Short History of People Helped
1. Munni Bibi - She is a 23 year old lady known by the name of Pagli in the locality as she is a bit deranged and has no clue to her husband's whereabouts. She has 4 children who have never been to school and lives in a shanty which might collapse any day. She goes around cleaning utensils and is given a little rice and curry for her services from the neighbours she helps...she carries home the little food given to her from the various homes to share with her children and often have to go half starved. She and her children wear handed down clothes and somehow manage to survive.
She was given the following by the support of "100 Friends Project" a grocery packet comprising of 3 kgs potatoes, 2 kg onions, 1 kg dal, 250 gms soyabean, a bar of soap and a packet of detergent and money to buy medicines for her two sick children and a sack of rice.
2. Babu Sardar a cycle van puller was given a grocery packet like Munni Bibi. He prays the lockdown will be over soon, as it is incurring a lot of hardship for him and he is now finding it difficult to support his family as trains are not plying. Earlier, he would be hired by fruit and vegetable sellers who would hire him to reach Champahati Station to sell their produce in Kolkata.
3. Ratan Saha - Ratan Saha is a blind man aged 48 years. He was accompanied by his wife to the distribution venue. He lost his eye sight two years back while making crackers which accidentally caused fire to break out. He has two sons and luckily for him his son got the job he lost but due to lockdown imposed they too are facing acute difficulties.
By the support of "100 Friends Project, " He was given an umbrella and a lungi.
4. 3 Tirpals were distributed to villagers whose roofs were in deplorable condition and they needed to cover their heads. All three of them are most grateful as this will mean a dry place for them to sleep and eat their meals.
5. 10 children of Village Naridana were treated to a packet of chicken biryani and a sweet each as they come from very poor backgrounds.
6. Marc, help was rendered again to Mrs. Manoka Sardar the lady who I had visited in Sitalatala, Sekharbali Block I on May 5th, who was suffering from a broken leg and about to turn gangerous leg whose half transport fare to Kolkata had been supported by 100 Friends Project in the month of May.
Unfortunately she found no beds and got herself admitted the next day into Shantiniketan Nursing Home in Baruipur by the help of the local MLA. She was admitted there for two weeks and was prescribed with a list of medicines which was funded by "100 Friends Project" She was also provided with some seasonal fruits.
She is currently on medicines and is fast recovering and will have to go for her check up in August.
Amount spent for in July
1. Munni Bibi - Rs. 1810 (Rs. 250 groceries + Rs. 650 medicines + Rs. 910 a sack of rice)
2. Babu Sardar - Rs. 250 grocery
3. Ratan Saha - Rs. 280 (Rs. 130 lungi + Rs. 150 umbrella)
4. 3 Tirpals - Rs. 3200
5. 10 children - Rs. 900
6. Manoka Sardar - Rs. 2500 (Rs. 2000 medicine + Rs. 500 fruits)
Travel Cost - Rs. 800
Total Money Spent - Rs. 9,740 = $130 USD
Sending you more photos in my next mail.
Thanks and warm regards,
Uttara
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