A ray of hope in Latika’s life

A ray of hope in Latika’s life

December 21, 2023

A woman excels in her life at Manmathanagar village under Gosaba block, Sundarban. A woman named Latika Singh, aged about 37 years old. She is married for 20 years to Mantu Singh. They have three children, two girls and one boy. They study in the schools at class III, V and VI. Her husband is a farmer. He works as a laborer at someone’s paddy field. His monthly income is Rs. 2000/- only. That is not enough to feed the family of five. Sometimes Latika does kitchen gardening to support the family. But the soil and water of the area are very salty. Leafy vegetables (spinach), bottle gourd, bitter gourd, pumpkin cannot grow easily in this region of Sundarban. Sometimes they had to starve during the night or eat very less. Sometimes after feeding the three children Latika and Mantu had to sleep in an empty stomach for the night. Latika rears goats to support her children in studies and to provide minimum basic medicinal treatments. Latika, her husband and her elder son used to go out in the dark at the river side to catch fish and crabs. There is no light in the houses and in the village streets at Manmathanagar. In the dark they are bitten by poisonous insects and snakes. Even the bathroom is not attached with the house which is considered normal in the villages. It is very risky for them, especially for the girls.

After a thorough survey our field associates supported the family with a Solar lamp. The family got relieved. The children can study well in the dark now with Solar lantern. They do not have to face the darkness anymore. They use the solar lamp every day and take good care of it. Though the problem of darkness at night is solved, but the livelihood problem was still there. So, our field associates gave Latika 10 chicks to solve the problem of hunger on August 8, 2023. She took good care of the chicks. The chicks became full grown chicken and layed eggs. She sold some eggs and also ate some in the family. She also sold chicken in the market. She got some money after selling chicken and eggs. She used the money in studies of her children, treatment for her children and family, also bought some fresh healthy and nutritious vegetables from market for her family. The field associates visited the house regularly and kept an observation in the chicken rearing. She has 40 chickens now. She said in her own language, ‘আমি এখন আমার পরিবারের পাশে  দাঁড়াতে পারছি। বাচ্ছাদের পড়াশুনা  করাতে পারছি। আমি চাই আমার ছেলে মেয়েরা বড় হয়ে আমাদের মতো কষ্ট না করুক। আমাকে সাহায্য করার জন্য কলকাতা মেরি ওয়ার্ডকে অসংখ্য ধন্যবাদ  জানাই।’(I can now stay beside my family. I can run the children’s studies. I want my children not to struggle hard like us. I am thanking Kolkata Mary Ward to help me in the difficult situation).