Food Relief in a Brick Field in West Bengal

Since May of 2020, LWB Foundation has been both honoured and humbled to bring much-needed food relief to children and families who are suffering greatly from the prolonged impacts of COVID.

One such area where we have provided food relief in May 2022 is in the outskirts of Kolkata.  The families from this community make their living as cheap laborers in the city or as day laborers in the nearby pollution-causing industrial work.  This is an area of urban poverty.  In rural poverty, the families are able to live off the land, but in this area that is not an option and thus, the families are often especially helpless.

The many stories of both enormous need and extraordinary gratitude have left a permanent mark on our hearts. We want to share just a few with you here to show the need and resilience of the families we’ve been able to help so far.

During our trip, Saachi was one of the first to greet us with a big smile. This energetic and bright young girl lives with her parents and an elder sister. The past two years have been most challenging for them, since her father who works at construction sites was unable to find work on most days. They had to make do with whatever little savings they had. Thankfully, their situation is starting to get better. Her father has been able to find more work. Saachi told LWB Foundation that one of her favourite things to drink is the nutritional drink provided as part of the food relief. We are happy we are able to help Sacchi’s family with food as the family gets back on their feet.

9-year-old Madhavi is the only child of her parents. She lives in a small rented house with her mother, father and grandmother. Madhavi’s mother makes a living by stitching blouses that are worn with sarees. Her father drives a van rickshaw, which is a hand-pulled three-wheel passenger cart. The family is working very hard to ensure that their only daughter gets a good education and has enough to eat to stay healthy. Madhavi’s father is struggling to find work after COVID since more and more totos are in operation now than in the past. Totos are motor driven and are hugely popular due to ease of use as compared to hand pulled rickshaws.  Madhavi wishes to grow up and buy a toto for her father and for that she is studying hard. We admire Madhavi for her perseverance and hope that she achieves her dream.

During our May visit, we also met 13 years old Tabu. Youngest of three siblings, Tabu is a student of Grade 7 and wants to be a teacher when she grows up.  She and her two brothers love when their mother can use our food items to make their favourite, soy bean curry. Her family is extremely thankful to LWB Foundation for helping them with food relief.

It is HOPE that inspires us to continue. Through your generous support, we are honoured to deliver food and the HOPE of a brighter tomorrow to those in great need.

This LWB community has made this relief possible, and we can never thank you enough! If you too want to join us in our journey to make an impact in needy communities, click on the link https://lovewithoutboundaries.in/community-signup