“It’s been 7 years since I started working as a daily wage labourer in Vijayawada. I do welding work on contract basis. When the lockdown was announced, all the factories were shut temporarily and I had no other means of livelihood. I have always believed in hard work, but I was forced to rely on food being donated by people, which is not regular.

Initially, I waited for 25 days with hope that the lockdown would be lifted and I could resume working, but in just a month, I lost whatever savings I had. As the lockdown got extended further, I am now working in mango farms as a helper, to earn a living. Although I earn everyday, it is not a profitable proposition. I earn Rs. 250 per day from this job and I have two other people to feed, at home. I used to earn about Rs. 500 a day from the welding job. Once the lockdown is lifted, I will get back to that job but I don’t know when that will happen. I understand the risk of going out and working in this situation, but I can’t see my family hungry. Until everything gets fine, the money from the mango fields is just enough to save my family from starvation.”

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