Monday, August 24, 2009

Visit to Momina

This report in over the weekend from Aparna:

Hi All,

I had made a visit to Momina's house today. Saw the baby. The baby is really tiny. The kids were getting ready to go to school when I reached. School was reopening after a week.

Rahul from TISS had also accompanied me. He got her thumb impression on a few papers. He says Taj will start sending the cheques really soon. They will be sending her a fixed amount every month. That should start in a month or so. He also tried talking to her about starting work which she brushed off.


I gave her the money Sangeeta had sent. I asked her about the money to be given to the landlord. She told me that she has not paid rent for two months. Her landlord also dropped in at that point. I told him that I will give him rent for six months and he should give me a receipt. He said he will not give me any such written proof. We tried to reason with him but he just did not agree.

I gave the money to Momina and have taken her signature on a paper which states that she has received the money from Indiahelps to pay the rent for six months. She said that she might be able to convince him give the receipt and also that she has earlier also given him money and he has not created a problem for her. And he never gives her any thing in writing. I will scan the receipt which has Momina's signature and send it across.

Rahul and I also visited the children's school to get a few papers form there. Met the principal and few teachers. She will send across all the papers required by Rahul on Monday.

3 comments:

M said...

I think you guys at IndiaHelps have been doing a great job helping out all the families of the Mumbai blast victims.

However.....regarding: 'He also tried talking to her about starting work which she brushed off.'

It seems like an inappropriate time to suggest to someone to start working, don't you think? The woman has just had a baby. Even working women take time off when they have babies.

It's not likely that this woman, who, from the looks of it, has never worked outside the home in her entire life, will be able to take a step like that at this time. I figure any woman would brush aside such a suggestion. Perhaps you guys could continue helping her for a few months longer the way you have till now?; perhaps till her baby is bigger.

Kiran Manral said...

M: We are committed to helping Momina out till the baby is around six months. What is critical is her mindset, she is closed to the idea of supporting herself and we cannot support her endlessly. We have been constantly telling her that she needs to gear up mentally to earn a living. We also have Karuna Waghela as a case, who has, despite us helping her out, taken charge of her life, taken up a job, moved out of her inlaws home. We are trying to make Momina understand that she and only she can make a difference to her children's lives.

India Hospital said...

Train Your Mind: Change Your Brain is fascinating. I think you'll like it!