Covid hits family income, girls help parents make ends meet in Jalandhar

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, June 22

Two teenaged girls here reach their place of work ahead of time only to do extra work and lend a helping hand to their families amid pandemic.

Rajni and Manpreet Kaur, both 19, are studying and working simultaneously to improve the economic condition of their families. Two months ago, Rajni lost her father to a severe lung infection. After his death, she took the responsibility to earn for her family and help out her mother who runs a small dhaba, the work of which has been severely affected due to Covid.

Enrolled for graduation in fashion designing, she makes cushion covers, designer bags and masks using old clothes. She has joined an NGO, Sardar Ajit Singh Foundation Society, which in collaboration with Jalandhar Municipal Corporation has started a special project for girls under the National Urban Livelihood Mission. Under the mission, the MC would help the girls in selling their items.

The project is named “Harian Chidian” (Green sparrows) under which the NGO aims to enrol 100 girls who want to help their families in making ends meet.

“The source of income was completely shaken after my father’s death. So, after I passed out of Class 12, I wanted to do a job and my teacher advised me to join this NGO. Now, I am working and have gained confidence that I will be of some help to my family,” Rajni said.

Manpreet Kaur, daughter of a foreman who doesn’t earn much, also observed that amid the pandemic it was not easy for the father to feed the family. Just out of Class 12, she took admission in BSc and started working.

“I enjoy making completely new and pretty items by using the old ones. Also, I have seen my family struggling, which is why last month I decided to do the job,” she said.

NGO president Ramanpreet Kaur said both girls were sincere and when they shared their stories with her, she felt they were in dire need of help.