UP’s transgender community feeds migrant workers as they return home due to coronavirus
Migrant workers and daily wage labourers are being provided with food and water by the transgender communities in Bareilly and Prayagraj
UP’s transgender community feeds migrant workers as they return to their hometowns
As of today, India has a reported 1,590 COVID-19 cases according to Worldometers. The novel coronavirus is still spreading exponentially, with the number of reported cases on the rise not just in India, but in many other countries.
While the entire country is practising social distancing, and stocking up on essentials, these times are proving to be more difficult for some than others. The transgender community in Uttar Pradesh has come forward, providing aid and essential supplies to the people of Bareilly and Prayagraj in these times.
Migrant workers walk towards a bus station in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of New Delhi. (Image: News18)
Food and water are being provided to over 100 people daily, most of whom are migrant workers, by a compassionate team of 50 transgender persons in Bareilly.
"There are several families who are daily wage workers and they depend on daily earnings for food. We are serving food to them because we feel that serving humanity is the best service," Prema, a member of the town’s transgender community, told News18.
Prema and her friends decided to set up a community kitchen to ensure that freshly-cooked meals can be provided to daily wage workers who have lost their means of livelihood due to the 21-day nationwide lockdown. However, they await permission from the local administration’s end before they embark on that project. Until then, they have decided to distribute biscuits and fruits.
Meanwhile, in the city of Prayagraj, another collective of 30 transgender persons are providing migrant labourers on the move, and the homeless with food and water bottles. They are utilising their savings to sustain this philanthropic effort.
"We have stationed ourselves near the temples because most of the homeless and migrants come here for relief. We are using our savings to help people caught in the lockdown," said Ishwari, according to Scoopwhoop.
This section of the city’s transgender community is working at the forefront of this nationwide crisis. While doing so, the group is also informing people about COVID-19, and are taking all precautions while following the district administration guidelines.
Their goodwill and selfless service is helping break many stereotypes and stigmas about the transgender community, especially among daily wage workers and migrant labourers.
"We always ridicule these people but today, they have been my saviour. After going without food for almost 70 hours, they gave me food and water," Rajesh Kumar, a migrant labourer told Scoopwhoop.
(Edited by Kanishk Singh)
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