These women associates at Amazon are ensuring essentials reach your doorstep during lockdown

Since March, when India went into lockdown following the spread of coronavirus, a few groups of individuals have emerged as lifelines.

Delivery executives are one of these critical groups. Thousands of women across Amazon India’s fulfilment network, who work as delivery associates and fulfilment centre associates, recognise the importance of providing essentials at the doorsteps of customers.

These women are trailblazers in the logistics sector, which is usually perceived as a male-dominated industry. Every day they skilfully balance their family and professional commitments and ensure that customer promises are fulfilled seamlessly.

Here are four stories of women across Amazon India’s delivery network, and their critical role in ensuring safe and reliable deliveries of essentials.

Thamizh Selvi, Chennai

Twenty-nine-year-old Thamizh Selvi has been working as a station support associate with Amazon in Chennai for more than a year. She has a diploma in nursing and has completed her bachelor’s in Tamil literature from Tamil Nadu Open University. She lives with her mother and younger sister after her father and brother passed away in an unfortunate accident.

“My responsibilities include sorting the packages and assigning the packages for deliveries. I also oversee other administrative processes at the delivery station. We have a nine-hour shift in a day, with adequate breaks for an hour,” she says.

Tamizh Selvi says she’s not afraid to go to work during these difficult times.

“I can perform my role while ensuring my safety and that of my station team members. I am a brave person and am not scared to come to work, especially because I’m confident of the many measures taken by Amazon to keep us safe. For example, before entering and exiting the site, our temperature is checked, so I feel confident that anyone who is unwell or has fever is not coming to work.

“My mother was worried about my well being initially but now she understands that my role is helpful for others in so many ways and now feels comfortable.”

She travels to work on her two-wheeler after getting the necessary pass to travel within the city.

Initially, her neighbours and a few of her relatives were skeptical about her going to work. But her mother explained to them that her job enables people to access essentials during the lockdown and how Amazon had a number of safety measures in place.

Tamizh Selvi follows Amazon’s rules of sanitising and washing my hands with soap and water regularly, wearing a mask, and practising social distancing. “When I go home, I immediately take a shower and wash my clothes to ensure the safety of my family,” she adds.

Her future plan is to work hard, get promoted, and save for her sister’s marriage. It’s also her dream to buy a house for her family.

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Maragatha Valli, Chennai

Maragatha Valli has been working with Amazon in Chennai for over a year now. Valli commutes from Kodungaiyur to Periamet every day. The closure of public transport did not deter her from going to work, and she relies on her trusty office mates to pick her up and drop her home.

The 27-year-old, who has an M.Sc in physics from Bharathi Women’s College, has been working as a delivery station associate for the past one-and-a-half years. Before her tenure in Amazon, she was working in the BPO sector for more than a year.

Amid the lockdown, she has become the sole breadwinner for my family.

“I feel proud because we have played a role in handling essential items which customers need during the lockdown. My family is very supportive of the fact that I continue to work during this period. They support me emotionally as well with their encouraging words,” she says.

She travels on her two-wheeler with the requisite pass.

“People around me are supportive of me continuing my work during this lockdown, especially when I explain that I work for a company that is fulfilling essential needs of people. I live in a rented house. My landlord also encourages me as I step out every day as he knows I work at Amazon,” she says.

Maragatha Valli follows safety practices such as washing hands often with soap and water, wearing a mask, and following social distancing at all times. “I take a bath immediately after reaching home for my family’s safety especially my baby niece’s,” she says.

Her future plans are to work towards a PhD degree and build her own house.

Swarna Lakshmi, Chennai

Thirty-seven-year-old Swarna Lakshmi works as a support associate at the Amazon station. She is responsible for sorting customer orders and takes care of multiple processes inside the delivery station to ensure packages reach customers.

Swarna Lakshmi has a BSc in Zoology from Guru Nanak College Chennai.

“Initially, people around would often ask why I continue to report at work during the lockdown. But now they understand the need for delivering essentials and how my work helps in achieving that to keep people safe inside their homes. I have been reporting at the station from the start of lockdown and I am proud,” she says.

“Amazon has always prioritised our safety, but lots of additional measures have been put in place now due to the pandemic. My family has been very supportive of me during this time. My daughter is my main motivation and drives me to move forward,” she adds.

She follows basic safety practices like washing hands regularly with soap and wearing a mask to keep her family safe.

Her ultimate goal is to give her daughter the best education and “to keep my family financially safe and secure”.

Nirosha, Bengaluru

Nineteen-year-old Nirosha lives with her family of four in Budikote, Karnataka. She is a sort centre associate at Amazon India, working on a nine-hour shift with a one-hour break.

“After completing my SSLC, I started working to help my family. Now I am happy to have a job through which I can help them and customers,” she says.

During the current situation, Amazon has introduced measures for their safety. “When we come in the morning, they check our temperature. The whole centre along with all the items we use at work are cleaned and sanitised regularly. Also, we wash our hands regularly and practise social distancing with each other. These measures make me feel confident to come to work every day,” she says.

Initially, Nirosha says her family was apprehensive about her stepping out for work because of the current situation. However, when she explained to them told the safety measures Amazon had introduced, they felt reassured.

Nirosha wants to continue working at Amazon and become a manager someday.

Speaking about the measures Amazon India has implemented to ensure employee safety and well being, Swati Rustagi, Director of Human Resources, Amazon India Operations, says,

“Amazon India’s associates are playing a critical role in the current COVID-19 crisis by enabling thousands of Indians to stay home, while their everyday essentials reach them at their doorstep – they are no less than heroes for the nation in this time of need. We are extremely thankful for their contribution and commitment, and their great resolve to support our operations and enable deliveries at this time.

“As a woman, I especially salute all the women associates who are managing the pressures of family through this situation while caring for the larger community with their service. We are committed to ensuring safety of all our associates through a number of preventive measures at our sites as they continue to play a role in ensuring customers are able to stay home and stay safe.”