The communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020 left behind countless stories of grief and survival. The unrest claimed 54 lives and reduced homes, businesses, and livelihoods to ruins. One such story is of Nargis (32).
Nargis lost her husband in the violence, unaware that it was even unfolding. “I didn’t even know that riots were happening; I wasn’t even here,” she said.
“I called Mursaleen, but he didn’t pick up the phone… For three days, we didn’t know anything about him… Then his body was found,” she added.
Mursaleen, her husband, was brutally attacked. He was beaten, shot in the chest, and then slashed with a sword. These injuries proved fatal, and Nargis lost her husband.
“First they hit him, beat him, shot him in the leg, and then shot him in the chest; after that they killed him with a sword, and he died,” Nargis claimed.
She further stated that Mursaleen’s body was so severely mutilated that she was unable to identify him until she recognized the thumb on his right foot.
“He was completely unrecognizable; I recognized him by the thumb of his right foot, then by his clothes,” she said.
In the inferno of hatred, Narsaleen not only lost her husband but also her only source of income. With Mursaleen’s death, the family members found themselves grappling with financial issues.
When Miles2Smile first encountered Nargis during a survey, she appeared deeply distressed and disheartened. Aware of her financial hardships and the challenges surrounding her children’s education, we provided respite to her by enrolling the children in Sunrise Public School, our relief school.
When asked how we could assist Nargis financially, she expressed the need for a sewing machine to help her earn a livelihood through stitching. In response, we provided her with an electric machine to make the process easier and more efficient.
Previously, Nargis had been renting a sewing machine from a relative, but it was inadequate for her needs and didn’t allow her to work efficiently. Now, with her own machine, she can earn a steady income without the added stress of relying on subpar equipment.
“I am very happy that I have received my machine now. Now I can work comfortably. The machine I had earlier over there wasn’t suitable for the work. Only when I have the right machine can I do the work. Now, I can work easily.” Nargis said after using her new sewing machine.
The sewing machine gave her pangs of happiness, but unfortunately it could not generate a stable source of income, and Nargis yet again found herself struggling with making ends meet. At Miles2Smile we believe in walking with the survivors until they attain stability. We believe in providing not temporary but permanent relief.
We promised Nargis to help her again in creating a stable source of livelihood. With the help of our donor, we were able to collect enough funds to help her create a livelihood.
“I cannot tell you how grateful I am for what you have done for me,” Nargis said after receiving the help, with tears rolling down her cheeks. This time her tears were of happiness, of relief, and of renewed hopes.
