By Steven Murdoch | Project Manager
I am pleased to report that your generous gifts to this project continue to help real people in a very practical way.
Take, for example, Rukmini. Now in her late 30s and a mother of 3 beautiful children, Rukmini and her husband Bhishma are both migrant construction workers.
1,000 KM migration to feed the family
Just prior to the COVID19 pandemic, Rukmini and Bhishma left their hometown in Jharkhand, East India. At the time they struggled to find any means of income locally. They migrated over a thousand kilometres to Haryana, in search of day labour construction work.
They were fortunate enough to both find work on the same construction site. Things were looking up. Although the pay was low, they were able feed the children and keep them in school.
Then COVID19 changed everything
Then, as you know, in India and across the globe, lockdown happened. The construction site closed and both Rukmini and Bhishma were suddenly out of work and without any means of support.
On the brink of starvation, Rukmini's family came to the attention of this project. At that time of the pandemic, the project was focusing on emergency aid. Rukmini, and other construction worker families received food parcels.
The minefield of social services benefits
Importantly, the project also helped Rukmini and Bhishma gain direct access to government social services initiatives.
Firstly, they helped register Rukmini and Bhishma for a social services smart card, which evidences that they are eligible for certain benefits.
Secondly, they registered them on a government portal, which gives eligible recipients direct access to current welfare schemes.
In addition, the project has been giving them both training on their rights as migrant workers. This in turn has given Rukmini and Bhishma confidence and belief that they will have future access to any benefits open top them.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support in this.
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