Emergency Food and Medicine for Kolkata's Poorest

Sana is about 13 years old. She lives with her parents and two siblings. She is deaf and dumb and has suffered from severe mental and physical disabilities since birth. Her parents, Altaf and Sony, love her dearly and work hard to keep her fed and comfortable. They live in a small one room house in the slum and Altaf works as a rickshaw driver to earn around 300 – 400 rupees a day (£3 - £4). He pays Rs1500 rent per month and Sana’s medication costs them Rs3000 per month. This is a family living on the edge. Last month Sana broke her arms and the subsequent medical bills threw the family into crisis. They approached Tiljala SHED for help. Md Alamgir, Tiljala SHED’s founder, went to visit the family and found them to be a loving and devoted family “The whole family, especially the mother, is devoted to her care only to help her survive with identity and dignity” he wrote to me. As a disabled person Sana is entitled to government support. In order to receive benefits she must have a bank account and to open a bank account she needs an Aadhar Card (an ID card). But to get an Aadhar card she needs to provide biometric information – fingerprints and iris. The family have taken Sana along on several occasions to obtain these but it has proved impossible because of her disabilities.  They now have to seek legal help to ensure Sana can apply for the benefits she needs.

For the ultra-poor and illiterate like Sana’s family, asserting their rights and entitlements can feel like an impossible mountain to climb, but Tiljala SHED is there to help. Our staff are ready to help Sana’s family both by providing temporary food and medical assistance, but also to help her apply for benefits.  The other day I had this report from Md Alamgir “We have visited Sana’s house. We gave her emergency food and medicines and collected all necessary documents required for government benefit.”   This will take time, but meanwhile Tiljala SHED is there to support the family with temporary food and medicine. Thanks to your generosity there is support available to the most vulnerable families in times of crisis.

You can cover the medication costs for a person like Sana for £25 per month

Thank you as ever for your generosity.