16 years boy, Nadara Badra had never imagined that he would shoulder a heavy financial burden of eight-member family after the death of his father, 2 years back. At the age when his mates enjoying school life, he was in search of an earning source for the survival of his family members. His mother’s widow pension benefit is inadequate to feed three sisters, two brothers, a blind elder father. His elder sister works as a daily wage labourer to support the family expenses. Unfortunately, she was mentally, physically and socially harassed in a love affair and became a teenaged mother of an abandoned child. This added further burden on the family too. Finding no other way of earning, Nadara started a small business of vending handmade snacks mixture in a local hat near his village Kendujhiani to maintain the family.

Nadara’s family live in Kendujiani village of Thakurmunda block in Mayurbhanj district, Odisha.  Thakurmunda is one of the operational areas of CYSD where the child development programme has been implemented with the support of Plan India. Nadara being a Sponsored Child (SC) under this project, his progress is regularly monitored by the programme team.

Owing to the declaration of lockdown by the Government to combat outbreak of COVID-19, opening of local hata (market), selling and buying of any kind of products got restricted. Local administration has been monitoring the lockdown closely. “We faced acute problem in arranging two meals a day. All means of subsistence were ended. We did not have any reserve funds to purchase essential commodities at higher costs from the market then to survive for a few days. Our pauper condition had never familiarised us in buying essential commodities in Kg rate. We found it difficult to stay at home in lockdown too. Since our is a kuccha mud house with one room to stay, it was impracticable for 8 members to maintain physical distancing”, shared  Nadara with tears rolling from eyes.

At this grave situation, CYSD team reached Nadara to support his family with survival kit (dry food and consumable items) and health and hygiene kit.

“I was waiting when the lockdown will remove and we will restart to work for wage earnings. Our struggle against starvation is now at the extreme point.  Thanks a million to CYSD & Plan India for rescuing us and helping to overcome the extreme hunger with the food packet for next 15 days. Corona lockdown will be a memorable occurrence in our life time” said Nadara with folded hands to the relief distribution team.