The plight of the underprivileged is not unknown. Cases of hunger and abject deprivation flooded the screens when the country was suddenly put into a lockdown. While things have returned to normal for many, there are others, the most marginalised, who are in desperate need. A few people in this country of many have been working hard day and night to help people rebuild their lives in the aftermath of the pandemic.
Arasamani is a Health Facilitator working in the villages of Theni. Her work involves problem-solving, cutting across the red tape, and delivering practical results. She goes out into the field every day and spends long hours trying to address the problems faced by the communities she works with. Once a month, her day begins with gathering the local community together for their monthly Self Help Group meeting, a meeting where Arasamani spends well over an hour, listening to and addressing the countless issues that arise. These meetings take place wherever possible, at the home of one of the community members, on the street and sometimes right outside her house. “I’ve come to form a nice rapport with the community. They treat me as one of their own, and reach out to me whenever they’re in need of something”, says Arasamani.
