Shelter from the Storm

Rawal Parbatbhai Bijalbhai, a daily wage labourer in Radhanpur, Gujarat who lost his livelihood and his belongings to the floods, is braving the elements with a tarpaulin sheet and feeding his family with rations – both received from Reliance Foundation

“We don’t have much, and the floods took away even the little that we had.”

As Rawal Parbatbhai Bijalbhai recalls the trauma of losing almost everything to heavy rains and floods in Radhanpur, Gujarat, his voice chokes with emotion: “Our small hut crumbled under the pressure of flood water – it was strewn with waste materials, plastic bags, mud, and soon became a breeding ground for mosquitoes. Our earthen chulhas were washed away.”

While Parbatbhai and his family managed to brave the elements and survive the floods, life in its aftermath is bleak and unforgiving. “We have to walk a kilometre to fetch safe drinking water. I am a daily wage labourer, but there is no prospect of income for me at the moment, as there is no labour work available anywhere. I don’t even have money to buy my choice of food.”

Amidst such looming uncertainty, a ration kit received from Reliance Foundation has brought back stability and hope for Parbatbhai and his family. “A few days ago, a team from Reliance Foundation came to us and gave us good quality rations. We are surviving on the items that were in the ration kit. I will also repair my home using the tarpaulin that we received from Reliance Foundation. At the moment, these rations are our only lifeline, and I cannot express how grateful I am for this thoughtful gesture.”