It’s been a long time since I sat down to write something. But if one’s part of something magical, then that story needs to be told.<\/p>\n
My story begins with the announcement of the Corona lockdown by the Indian government. We all knew it would come one day, but still we were all shocked when it did arrive. Most of us however had stocked up by then. I had provisions to last me two months, I even had 10 days supply of my favourite ice cream in my refrigerator!<\/p>\n
The days immediately following the lockdown were strange and filled with anxiety. Suddenly all borders were closed. Flights, trains, buses, everything just stopped. Each day brought new rules, and with it new uncertainties. In my world, everyone was moaning. We couldn’t step out to meet friends. House work consumed all our time. Shops had run\u00a0out of Maggi Noodles. Everything felt unreal.<\/p>\n
These were the problems of those with the luxury of savings and a steady income.
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\nThe migration<\/b>
\nBut what was going on outside our air conditioned homes was very different. The lockdown came like a death sentence to the poor – the majority of whom work as daily wagers, casual labourers, vendors, cab drivers, and domestic workers. Most of them live\u00a0 a hand to mouth existence, having no tomorrow and fighting to live through today. The lockdown took away their jobs in an instant. Migrant workers suddenly found themselves not just away from their villages, but without the money to afford a roof where they were.<\/p>\n
And so started the migration. With no money or shelter, poor people across the country started\u00a0a long and painful walk to their villages, often hundreds of kilometres of away. Groups of families, young children carrying small bundles, parents holding babies and balancing their bags on their heads, were walking with uncertainty ahead and dreams behind.<\/b><\/p>\n
CORO<\/b>
\nA year and a half ago, I started working with a non profit in Mumbai called CORO. No one passing the nondescript CORO office would guess there were supermen and superwomen\u00a0working inside,\u00a0doing the impossible. Their mission was to transform society: make it less divisive and casteist, and more inclusive and equal.<\/p>\n
CORO’s fundamental philosophy is that societies won’t change unless people drive it from within. And the problem with most marginalised communities is that they don’t question their disempowerment, they just accept it as fate. CORO runs several programmes to help them find their voices. The programmes help them understand their rights, and then go demand what’s owed to them.<\/p>\n\r\n