BHOPAL: The long days of lockdown began. And everything felt gone. The stealthy coronavirus seemed to have stolen into every nook. A librarian Afsana was upset; for, she was unable to provide books to children. On behalf of a voluntary organization, Muskan, Afsana runs a library in Gandhi Nagar in the city.
The lockdown dulled her mornings. On one such morning, she was standing outside her dwelling at Sector 3, Gandhi Nagar. A ten-year-old child ran towards her. He said, “Didi, give me some food. I haven’t had anything for three days.” So hungry was he that his asking for food saddened Afsana. She gave him food.
The child belonged to the Banjara community, a nomadic tribe, from Rajasthan. They flock to Shanti Nagar in Gandhi Nagar every year. They pitch in tents for a few days. The child urged Afsana to visit their tents. She along with her husband went there. The sight they came across wrung their heart — 70 tents were crammed with 1,500 people without food, without water.
Afsana’s means were limited. Yet, that hardly mattered. Afsana contacted the members of Muskan. Immediately after getting her call, the organisation plunged into action. They arranged rations for those people continuously for one and a half months.
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