Stories of Hope Amid Pandemic
Due to coronavirus lockdown many people lost their jobs. Given the situation, lots of people took up alternate jobs to sustain their livelihood during this period. In this video we take a look at a fe
India went into a lockdown from 24th March 2020 to control the spread of the coronavirus. This led to many job losses and economic insecurity for its people. In such testing times, we cannot sit idle and keep worrying and criticizing our life. Pandemics create such difficult situations. Given the situation, lots of people took up alternate jobs to sustain their livelihood during this period. Let’s take a look at a few such individuals who have taken a detour from their professions to make a living amid the pandemic.
1. 28-year-old Ajmal from Kottayam, Kerala secured a job as chef in Costa Cruises. He was about to leave abroad in the month of March, but the coronavirus pandemic shattered his dreams. Ajmal now sells clams in a three-wheeler.
2. Preethi Santhosh, from Kozhikode, ran a ladies hostel. But when it had to close down, she started an organic vegetable shop in front of her house. It turned out to be a great success and she also provided jobs to 4 other people who had lost their jobs.
3. Another survival story is from Kuttiady, Kozhikode where a group of conductors, drivers and cleaners of a few private buses started selling biryani with the help of a local restaurant owner as due to the lockdown all transportation was closed.
4. Karim from Kasaragod had a small cafeteria in Dubai. But he had to return in the month of January and could not go back yet. Now he sells fish in a two-wheeler.
5. Shrutee Rane from Palghar in Maharashtra is a freelance illustration artist. During the lockdown she did not have any advertising assignments and so she made cakes and other bakery items and delivered it to nearby customers.
6. Sameer Joshi is a photographer from Mumbai. During the lockdown he did not have assignments and so, started selling seafood for survival.
7. Manju Singh is a beautician and ran a beauty parlour. Due to the lockdown and customers not being allowed, she had to convert her beauty parlour into a grocery store to sustain her livelihood.
8. Pushkar Vishwasrao is a filmmaker and Nimish Vishwasrao is a tutor by profession. They sold vegetables and dry snacks to survive during the lockdown.
9. Deepak Pathak is a taxi driver from Mumbai. Due to lack of work during the lockdown, he converted his taxi into a makeshift shop to sell masks, gloves etc.
10. Akshay Parkar a 29-year-old Cruise Chef from Dadar, Mumbai travelled around the world. He lost his job during the pandemic and was sent back to India.The situation became worse when Akshay lost his savings to pay for the medical bills for his aging parents. In September 2020, he decided to put up a biryani stall to survive in this lockdown. Akshay is earning approximately ?2 lakhs per month by selling Biryani on the streets of Dadar.
Like the people I told you about, if you have lost your job, then try and take up something else that will help you earn a living. Use the skills that you have to earn a living. And remember no job is small.
