Transform childhoods of 300 slum children in India

India is suffering one of the biggest crises in history, and it is not just restricted to COVID-19. Given the lack of basic services for the country’s marginalised population, including water supply, millions are unable to experience a basic and dignified form of living. Water shortage and the lack of sanitation facilities are deadly shortcomings of our health infrastructure that have worsened the effects of the pandemic.

Meena, who stays in a basti (informal settlement) near Aurora Talkies, Matunga, Mumbai, with her husband and five children, was born and brought up in Mumbai and worked alongside her husband in decorating event venues, mainly for weddings. She can use coconut leaves to make intricate decorations, and would offer support to his work from home. None of these event halls are open now. She and her husband both lost their source of income due to the pandemic.

‘ — ’

Now there is no work, we cannot go out. Everyone is facing challenges in the basti. Whoever worked outside, their work has stopped now.

In the pandemic, when handwashing and basic hygiene are the first line of defence, Meena and her neighbours are unable to access clean water and safe toilets. Earlier, they would get water from a neighbouring basti, but that tap recently broke. Now, they wake up around 3am everyday and try to source water from wherever they can. They also had a community toilet but it was demolished a month ago for unknown reasons. They tried to conduct an enquiry on it, but no information has come up so far. Currently, they use a paid toilet facility ahead of Aurora Talkies (Rs 3 to use the toilet, Rs 10 for a bath) — but it closes at 11pm and is especially risky for females at night. These paid washrooms are usually far from people’s houses, and are an additional daily expense for many, often leading to open defecation.

Meena has 4 daughters and 1 son, Two of the daughters are married, while the other three children — 2 girls who are 12 years old and 15 years old, and a 17 year old son — live with them. Unfortunately, their education has been interrupted due to a lack of amenities. Online education requires parents to buy a smartphone. However, for many that is a luxury that cannot be afforded or even considered. The phone Meena’s family did have got stolen in the basti. Meena shares, empathising with her children’s helplessness, ‘Children stay home the entire day, there is nothing that they can do about it’. The youngest daughter has a friend in the basti who she occasionally meets.

Once during the lockdown, a bulldozer ran over her daughter’s foot. The bulldozer operator took her to a health centre so she could be treated there. Meena mentions how the bigger clinics are even more inaccessible to them now. She and her family are not hesitant to take the vaccine, but she says that there has been no proper guidance and awareness about the vaccination and that the government should be more responsible to take charge and make the locality aware about it. ‘ — ‘ (We have seen a bit on TV, if it is important then we must take it).

Meena is also a community leader, and has helped distribute food packets once a day over the past weeks to members in need. Even though ration shops were available, the supplies were inadequate to fulfil the basic appetite of her family of 6. Meena shared that proper concern and care needs to be shown for marginalised communities at this time. It has been difficult for all, but they are the most vulnerable. ‘ — ’ (Everyone has problems. The government should look after everyone, they don’t come where the masses are).

Many families were barely able to make it through the first wave of COVID-19. As they comprise daily and weekly-wage earners, every support they received from neighbours, civil society, and any coverage under government welfare efforts went a long way in offering them relief.

These households are struggling to survive the second wave at present. Resources are more depleted, more people are falling sick and more jobs have been lost for a longer period now. Samrin, a nineteen-year-old living in Behrampada, Bandra, shared her family’s experience of both lockdowns in a recent conversation.

Samrin lives with her family and both her parents lost their jobs during this lockdown. Her father is a scrap dealer, and sells food waste from market areas. However, with markets and other public places closed now, he is out of work.

 

By disposing the waste of fruit and vegetable vendors, he receives Rs 20. Now even that is not possible.

It is also difficult for Samrin’s father to continue working, she says, as he has difficulty in walking and frequent pain in his leg in recent years.

Last year during the lockdown, the family used their savings to get by, with some additional support from YUVA and the community. However, they were unable to pay rent and lost their security deposit. During this second lockdown, they have run out of their savings, and are once again behind on rent. Samrin shared how her father is worried about having to return to their village in Uttar Pradesh if he is not able to start working soon.

Samrin studied till the 9th grade, but was not able to continue her education after that because of the family’s financial constraints. Now, after being associated with community efforts facilitated by YUVA in the past 1.5 years, she is again thinking of completing the 10th grade. However, her plans were postponed due to the pandemic. She also had to take up some domestic work for a month to help the family’s income. She is very concerned about her father and wants to help him in whatever way she can.

 

I have stopped thinking about studies right now. I am just thinking that if I find a good job I will be able to help my father.

Samrin has also been an active and enthusiastic youth volunteer in many community events organised by YUVA and has been working on several issues in the community, like sexual harassment, sanitation and garbage management, along with other young people. She is currently looking forward to helping spread more information about the vaccine through the vaccine help desk being set up by YUVA and youth volunteers in Behrampada. People in the community, including Samrin’s parents are hesitant to take the vaccine. Samrin hopes her work with the community will help fight these fears and dispel the myths formed through rumours and misinformation.

This is  a part of series of interviews we are conducting with community members, to bring to light the onground situation during the second wave of COVID-19.

Contributed by Niyoshi Parekh and Taslim Khan

Meena shares on water and sanitation shortages in the community

COVID-19 Second wave: Narratives from the Ground

India is suffering one of the biggest crises in history, and it is not just restricted to COVID-19. Given the lack of basic services for the country’s marginalised population, including water supply, millions are unable to experience a basic and dignified form of living. Water shortage and the lack of sanitation facilities are deadly shortcomings of our health infrastructure that have worsened the effects of the pandemic.

Meena, who stays in a basti (informal settlement) near Aurora Talkies, Matunga, Mumbai, with her husband and five children, was born and brought up in Mumbai and worked alongside her husband in decorating event venues, mainly for weddings. She can use coconut leaves to make intricate decorations, and would offer support to his work from home. None of these event halls are open now. She and her husband both lost their source of income due to the pandemic.

‘ — ’

Now there is no work, we cannot go out. Everyone is facing challenges in the basti. Whoever worked outside, their work has stopped now.

In the pandemic, when handwashing and basic hygiene are the first line of defence, Meena and her neighbours are unable to access clean water and safe toilets. Earlier, they would get water from a neighbouring basti, but that tap recently broke. Now, they wake up around 3am everyday and try to source water from wherever they can. They also had a community toilet but it was demolished a month ago for unknown reasons. They tried to conduct an enquiry on it, but no information has come up so far. Currently, they use a paid toilet facility ahead of Aurora Talkies (Rs 3 to use the toilet, Rs 10 for a bath) — but it closes at 11pm and is especially risky for females at night. These paid washrooms are usually far from people’s houses, and are an additional daily expense for many, often leading to open defecation.

Meena has 4 daughters and 1 son, Two of the daughters are married, while the other three children — 2 girls who are 12 years old and 15 years old, and a 17 year old son — live with them. Unfortunately, their education has been interrupted due to a lack of amenities. Online education requires parents to buy a smartphone. However, for many that is a luxury that cannot be afforded or even considered. The phone Meena’s family did have got stolen in the basti. Meena shares, empathising with her children’s helplessness, ‘Children stay home the entire day, there is nothing that they can do about it’. The youngest daughter has a friend in the basti who she occasionally meets.

Once during the lockdown, a bulldozer ran over her daughter’s foot. The bulldozer operator took her to a health centre so she could be treated there. Meena mentions how the bigger clinics are even more inaccessible to them now. She and her family are not hesitant to take the vaccine, but she says that there has been no proper guidance and awareness about the vaccination and that the government should be more responsible to take charge and make the locality aware about it. ‘ — ‘ (We have seen a bit on TV, if it is important then we must take it).

Meena is also a community leader, and has helped distribute food packets once a day over the past weeks to members in need. Even though ration shops were available, the supplies were inadequate to fulfil the basic appetite of her family of 6. Meena shared that proper concern and care needs to be shown for marginalised communities at this time. It has been difficult for all, but they are the most vulnerable. ‘ — ’ (Everyone has problems. The government should look after everyone, they don’t come where the masses are).

My Ward My CPC: Demanding Efficient Child Protection Systems Across Mumbai

The demand for child-friendly cities! Who would be best placed to define this than the children themselves? Taking this forward, YUVA has, over the years, facilitated the development of child leaders and children’s collectives, empowering them to fight for the realisation of their vision of cities.

YUVA remains committed to child-led city-building efforts and this year was no different. The COVID-19 pandemic, if anything, strengthened the resolve to build safer spaces for children as the lockdown witnessed a spike in the number of child abuse cases.

Bal Adhikar Sangharsh Sangathana (BASS), a children’s collective facilitated by YUVA, has played an important role in strengthening children’s voices and increasing visibility of their demands. In November 2020, YUVA and BASS together developed a campaign — My Ward My CPC — to demand the formation of functional Child Protection Committees (CPCs) in every ward of the city. This is mandated by a 2014 Government Resolution (GR) in Maharashtra which, till date, has not been effectively implemented.

A street play by BASS membersThe November campaign was an attempt to strengthen efforts that began since 2018, when BASS and YUVA collectively ran campaigns to push for not just formation but effective CPC functioning in every ward, operating as per the provisions under the 2014 GR.Why are CPCs important?CPCs help make cities safer in the following ways:

1. CPCs are decentralised organisations that work at the grassroots level, making them efficient in providing contextual solutions for local challenges.

1. The committee includes multiple stakeholders, right from anganwadi workers, non-profit workers, health workers to community members, local leaders. Thus the onus of protection is a shared responsibility and is jointly co-owned.
2. CPCs require mandatory child participation, giving children a platform to speak for themselves.

Most importantly, CPCs promote a 

preventive approach

, whether it is about building the right infrastructure or engaging with local officials to ensure cases of crime against children decrease.

The strong need for ward-wise CPCs acted as the foundation for the ‘My Ward My CPC’ campaign by YUVA and BASS, where the activities and initiatives were designed along the above-mentioned four parameters. The campaign comprised of decentralised, local initiatives led by children, as well as advocacy with leaders and officials to ensure that children’s voices are heard and their demands are fulfilled.

Six years since the 2014 GR, most CPCs still exist only on paper. The ‘My Ward My CPC’ campaign demanded the formation of CPCs in every ward of the city, with the support of different stakeholders.

As YUVA’s recent research report reveals, the lockdown has been tough for all, more so for children whose education and nutrition supply was highly compromised. The children used the campaign platform to share their experiences and challenges during the lockdown via posters and drawings.

Additionally, child members of BASS and other children from various communities (such as in Mankhurd, Dadar, Matunga, Bandra, Malad, Chembur, Jogeshwari, Parel, Ghatkopar in Mumbai and Belapur, Sanpada in Navi Mumbai) wrote 1000+ postcards to the Honorable Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Mr. Uddhav Thackeray, appealing to him to prioritise the formation of CPCs in the city.

14-year-old Priyanka’s ordeals: Home alone for three months, and the long journey to her family!

Location — Dharavi, Mumbai

The sudden announcement of the COVID-19 induced lockdown across India from 24 March 2020 left many vulnerable people completely helpless. Among them was Priyanka (name changed) a 14-year-old girl stranded alone at home in the informal settlement of Dharavi, Mumbai. Shortly before the announcement of the lockdown, Priyanka’s entire family had travelled to their village in Uttar Pradesh due to a relative’s untimely death. However, Priyanka had to stay back in Mumbai, due to her ninth-grade examinations. She was expecting her parents to be back in a week. That never happened. The lockdown made it possible for Priyanka’s family to reach her. The fourteen-year-old had no choice but to remain stranded in Mumbai, scared and alone with no close neighbours or relatives.

This posed a twin set of problems. Priyanka was not just worried about the virus — at a time where COVID-19 cases were on an exponential rise in the area — but also about her safety. Knowing that she had to sleep alone every night till she could reunite with her family petrified her day after day. She told us, ‘I used to feel scared at night, and could not sleep’.

Priyanka went to the police around five times asking for help, but to no avail. The police did tell her that they would inform her when trains going to Uttar Pradesh would be arranged, but upon asking her whether anyone did inform her, she said, ‘No they didn’t come, no one came.’ Instead, they gave her some ration and offered to shift her to a shelter. Her family did not find the offer reassuring enough to let her leave the safety of her own home. Increasing COVID-19 cases in Mumbai also scared them and they preferred her staying alone and away from the crowd.

Meanwhile, her father had been trying to call and seek help from every possible source for months, but to no end. He wanted permission and means to come to Mumbai to get his daughter. ‘I tried calling everyone’, he said, ‘But no one helped’. Feeling utterly helpless about the situation, the family was dejected.

During Priyanka’s time alone in Dharavi, eventually she ran out of ration. Luckily, soon after her father stumbled upon the Childline helpline 1098, and the YUVA Urban Initiatives team immediately delivered ration to her, within a day’s time, and maintained regular contact with her since then.

Three months into the lockdown, an elderly man from her neighbourhood offered to drop Priyanka to Allahabad. He was a stranger who had heard about her case. Priyanka’s parents had no choice but to trust this man in the hopes of getting their daughter back — all avenues they had tried had not worked out. On asking her father how he could trust a complete stranger with his daughter, her father said they had to trust any man who is ready to help them in their time of need and no one is greater than that person for them. He told us ‘What could have I done, I had no other choice or way’. He also had to spend Rs. 3500–4000 for his daughter’s return, a huge sum for him because at this point he had no source of income and very little savings. Nothing could equal the thought of meeting his daughter again, however!

Soon enough, Priyanka, along with a group of other migrant workers, embarked on a three-day journey. She, along with her neighbour, travelled to Bhiwandi via taxi from Dharavi. Priyanka mentioned how she was very hesitant to board the truck from Bhiwandi due to her doubts about her security and safety. Her father, feeling completely helpless from miles away, convinced her to stay strong and continue with the travel as this was the only chance for her to return to them. Moreover, there was no one to take her back to Dharavi.

From Bhiwandi they boarded a truck along with 30–40 other people. There were only two women onboard, no children. Fortunately, all of them were kind and took care of Priyanka and her needs during the journey, supplying her with food and water throughout.They were able to create a safe and a comfortable environment for her. Looking back on the ordeal, her father also mentioned how the only reason Priyanka could stay alone in Dharavi for three months was due to the compassion and large-heartedness of the people around her at all times.

This journey was not without challenges, however. There was no place to sleep for three days, and the journey was made during the peak of a blistering North Indian summer. Priyanka, however, persisted, fuelled by her desire to see her parents and feel safe again. She was brave in taking the journey on her own despite only being 14-years-old. The desperation to see her family again gave her the strength and resilience to overcome the hurdles faced. She returned to her parents taking grave risks on the way, and fortunately encountering the kindness of strangers too. None of this, however, is often the case.

Today Priyanka is with her family, feeling safe and happy; but that’s not all. Her father is deeply burdened with no work and income; the only relief is that they are home together. He mentioned how repeatedly they are feeling helpless and vulnerable with no proper resources. He also said the situation is so bad during these times that people are not ready to help each other but themselves. That’s why Priyanka’s father feels that God blessed them with the kind stranger who helped them get back their daughter.

Contributed by Shobha Agashe, Sheeva Dubey who work with Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA) and Sanskrti Bansal who is an intern at Youth for Unity and Voluntary Action (YUVA).