Eashwaramma's days

(May 11 - 2014) 

Eashwaramma has gone for coolie work today - with some rains, there seems to be some labour needs. Nobody in the village will miss a chance to go for work and earn. Kavya has gone grazeing the cow after returning from school and Sasi seems to be monkeying around ... as he took the phone, and also called me back.

Her leg pains will worsen. I asked her yesterday why she had gone walking to a place 6km away for work the day before and she cheerfully told me, "There is need for money, isn't it ?". I asked why, and she said for the 'seetu' (SHG - the women's savings groups payment due the next day.). For people living on the brink - with so assets or savings to fall back on, life's like that. 

There is a cycle where poverty can feed into poverty ... and it need a firm handhold to help them step out of that. A very firm, very committed and very well thought out  grip.

It is halfday school in summer, and the children return from school by one. The middle school is four kilometers away and the children come back in the blazing hot sun from Kothapeta. Kavya, Eashwaramma's granddaughter had a second hand cycle, but it cannot take repairs anymore. To change the cycle tyres and overhaul it will cost 1000-2000, and so she walks back slowly in the afternoon heat.