This is the case of Smt. Bharti, who got through child marriage seven year back with Anand. After getting married early of her age, she continued her study and graduated by living at her in-laws’ house and fulfilling all her responsibilities. Despite being a graduate, she didn’t get any work and therefore she went to Mathura to work as labourer in building construction labour with her husband and two small children. During her work, she used to carry bricks, sand, cement to the construction site along with taking care of her children. Working as construction worker was not sufficient, as it was making their subsistence difficult because in that earning they have to take care of themselves along with their children and they also need to send back some money to their old in-laws’. On 22nd March, 2020 when lockdown was declared all over the country due Covid-19 pandemic, they were one of the families who also got severely impacted among millions of migrant labourers. For eight days, they waited to lockdown and get over being so that they could resume their work being unknown to the depth of the situation. After waiting for eight days and with no change in the situation left with no money, no food and no shelter to survive they decided to go their home by walking on their foot. During their travel, they got a helpline number of Jan Sahas from one of the labourers they met on the way. With the support and guidance of Jan Sahas they reached their home and also got ration support at their home. After a few months, when this help was not sufficient, they started searching for any work. One day they got the contact of a contractor who was searching for labour work in Mathura who was willing to provide travel and work to the interested people. So, Bharti and her family went back to Mathura to work again. One day while working, she got information that Jan Sahas is starting a work in her hometown block where they need people to work with in the process to support migrant workers and other marginalized communities by providing them linkages to government schemes. She was very shocked and it was unbelievable for her, as she thought is it possible for a migrant worker woman to work as a social worker? Later she contacted Jan Sahas and showed her eligibility and interest to work and after which she got selected and worked in her hometown as Jan Saathi. While working as Jan Saathi she says “apart from getting financial support in this situation, my mental condition has also improved in this tough time and by this opportunity I am very happy to help people like me.”
