Leela is a proud mother of four children, two of whom attend Bloom India Primary School. She is the sole provider for her family. Her husband is an alcoholic and is unable to maintain a steady job. She works hard as a daily wage laborer at construction sites where her job is to break down the rocks and load them onto trucks for removal.
Day laborers at construction sites often do not have proper protective equipment as they toil in the sun for long hours. Most day laborers work while wearing flip flops and break these rocks with no goggles or construction mask and haul the jagged rocks with no gloves. These sites often do not have proper sanitation or bathroom facilities.
Leela will work 10 to 12 hours a day, covered in dust and bruises to earn just 250 to 350 rupees per day, approximately $2.40 to $3.50 a day.
The COVID 2nd Wave in India hit Leela’s family hard since day laborers were not allowed to work. Leela could not earn the money she needed for food and other necessities. To make matters worse, two of her children were infected with the COVID-19 virus, and they had to be hospitalized to receive proper treatment and care.
Leela was anxious about her children’s wellbeing and also how she would be able to pay for the hospital bills and continue to put food on the table.
Our team in India quickly came alongside Leela. Because of your generous support, Bloom India supported Leela with food provisions and emergency medical aid. Thankfully, Leela’s children recovered.
Today, her children diligently study safely from home, and are looking forward to returning to in-person learning this month at Bloom Mercy School.
Leela is still having a difficult time as the construction sites are slowly reopening, but she is hopeful that life is returning to normal.
During this extremely difficult year, care has been given in big ways: large food distributions, critical hospital equipment, large PPE deliveries. But, little ways of caring also matter: a teacher checking in on a student every day, Principal Gerard’s close relationship with parents, and tangible support when a child is sick.
Our community is more than a school. It is a family. We’re so glad you are a part of it.
