Lockdown and livelihood | लॉकडाउन और रोज़गार

I live in Srinivaspuri community of Delhi. Every day many people come in search of work to this city where I live. Even my community members and my own family came to this city only in search of livelihood. But because of the lockdown, my family and many people in my community are now trapped here, and that too without employment.

The problems in my house are a little less because I still have employment. But not everyone in my community currently has a livelihood source. We all live here in rented houses. And now all the people are returning to their homes. Some people have started walking the distance to their homes [in villages] on foot, some who had little money hired a car or truck, without thinking how long it will take them to reach home, because if they stay in this city then they will suffer from hunger.

All these situations would have happened to my family as well if I had no employment. My father is the most troubled of all of us at this time because he has not worked for almost two months. He is at home for the first time, after working for 31 years. It is getting difficult for him to stay at home without work and he does not know if he will get work after the lockdown is over. As my father is not working, I have all the responsibilities of home expenses.

I was not really ready to fully take up these responsibilities. I am just 22 years old, dreaming of fulfilling some of my own desires with the money I earn from my new job. But this situation has definitely taught me that what responsibilities of a household are. I have learned the price of lentils and rice. Of course, I have all the responsibilities. But my mother and father are slowly teaching me how I can manage these responsibilities. I might not be able to fulfill my dreams with my money, but I am glad that I am able to give some protection to my family during this difficult time.

- Priyanka, FAT team member.