COVID 19 Stories
Mrs Neiwetso-ϋ is a 38 years old daily wage earner and a member of the Self Employed Women’s Association’s (SEWA) Nagaland unit. She lives with her husband and 2 sons in Pfutsero town of Phek district in Nagaland.
As her family migrated to the town in search of better opportunities, they do not own any land and are living in a rented house in Pfutsero. Initially, her husband drove a taxi and she too had a business of her own, she was engaged in livestock rearing. However, the family’s plans for a better life in town soon changed when her son was diagnosed with a terminal illness. Having no other way to pay for the medical expenses, they were compelled to sell off everything they owned thus cutting off their source of income. For the past year, they have been in and out of hospitals for treatments which have strained their meagre income, even before the lockdown induced by the COVID 19 Pandemic. With the Lockdown crisis, Mrs.Neiwetso-ϋ shares “we are really struggling to meet end meet. We have no access to food supplies”.
Through our Field Mobilizer in Pfutsero, North East Network was able to provide a ration kit to her family and some other families at Pfutsero. The family extended their heartfelt gratitude to the organisation. The relief helped them go on for some time the repercussions of the lockdown continue and families like them who are solely dependent on daily earnings will be affected badly. There are many families in this small township, who have taken people’s land on lease and cultivate vegetables and many like this woman who is solely dependent on agricultural wage work.
Despite the government announcement of Unlock 1.0, the damage done to livelihoods is a blow that will require quite some time to recover from. Women in rural communities will still be vulnerable and will need constant support.
