A trans woman in India is spending her days preparing free meals for the people in her neighbourhood to help them during the coronavirus pandemic.
Veena S, from Bengaluru, is a social worker and activist with the Solidarity Foundation, a non-profit that provides support for sex workers.
But in the midst of the coronavirus crisis, she has decided to help people living in a slum get through a difficult time by giving them free meals.
Trans woman Veena S is distributing food to help her community survive the coronavirus crisis.
“I was born and brought up in here,” Veena told The Times of India. “I cannot see the suffering of these people.”
She continued: “Most of the residents here are daily-wage workers and they are unable to feed their families. The shortage of food is increasing by the day.
“My family is worried, but as a social worker, it’s my duty to help people in difficult times,” she added.
The activist wants to make sure that people in her locality do not go hungry during this difficult time, she told The Better India.
My family is worried, but as a social worker, it’s my duty to help people in difficult times.
“The day the lockdown was announced, I understood that it was going to impact our neighbourhood.
“This is my home – I was born and brought up here and to see people here suffering was something that I could not turn a blind eye to.”
“Initially we were cooking and distributing almost 50 kgs of rice every day–and ended up giving away almost 300 such parcels.
She said her community is ‘vulnerable’ and she wants to help them survive COVID-19.
“Of this number, more than 200 parcels were distributed amongst the transgender community in Okalipuram, and the rest were for the slum dwellers.”
She is getting support from non-profit organisations who are willing to help her out by providing supplies and funds to meet demands.
A local restaurant has also started chipping in to her efforts, meaning she can distribute even more food to those hardest hit by the crisis.
Veena said she is trying to ensure that the basic needs of her community are met throughout the pandemic.
“We are a vulnerable community, and it is in times like this when the support that we need is much more. I am glad that I can help.”