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It all started when our team learned a migrant worker was committing suicide.
The reason was a lack of food and unemployment due to the COVID-19 lock down in March 2020. He was so frustrated that he felt committing suicide was better than asking for help. We reached out to him immediately and helped him with food.
But, coming back, we realised many like him were dying of hunger, job loss and hopelessness. So we started serving food to them in Mundka, West Delhi. Through our community kitchen, we served door-to-door lunch and dinner for 54 days to the migrant workers.
Saday, our NGO, wasn’t registered then. We worked day in and day out with a common mission to help people in need. Soon, we started distributing masks, sanitisers and soaps from the funds contributed by our team members.
Throughout our journey, we have faced two major challenges. Strangely, both are taboo in our society.
The first one is about women’s hygiene. COVID had shut people behind the doors. But it couldn’t stop women from going through the biological process every month. And that’s how we launched the ‘My Pad, My Pride’ campaign.
There were a lot of women who couldn’t buy pad kits. So we distributed single-use pad kits to them. But, soon, we realised single-use pad kits weren’t enough. As for the next period, they used clothes unsuitable for menstrual hygiene.
So we looked for sustainable solutions. We distributed reusable pad kits that last up to two years. But convincing women to use them wasn’t a cakewalk. So we conducted workshops to educate them. We taught them about hygiene and layerings. And how to use, wash, dry, and reuse them.
And the next challenge was about mental health. We realised that many people (including our family, friends and relatives) were suffering from anxiety and depression due to job loss, uncertain future, death of dear ones and various other factors. So we started counselling through the project ‘धैर्य’ with one professional. We discussed it in the community and tried to help as many people as possible.
The journey so far has been challenging and wholesome. The major challenges have been around funds and expanding team members. But we look forward to working towards building a safe society for all. We started with four members only. And now we have expanded to 250 members, including 25 Psychologists.
In the end, we can conclude our journey with the following poetry:
मुश्किलें बढ़ती गयी,
लोग जुड़ते गए।
उम्मीद बढ़ती गयी,
SADAY खिलता गया॥
Wow! From four members to 250 members, SADAY has come way.
We wish they keep growing!
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