Inspiration
Anganwadi Worker Rows 18 Km Daily to Reach Children of Rural Hamlets
This Anganwadi worker could not just let children starve and become malnourished during COVID hence she rows 18km to them every day to deliver supplies
During the COVID pandemic, not all Indian hamlets were approachable by road and so, the education of students in such places suffered the most. Anganwadis, the rural equivalent of preschools, are suffering all around the country even today.
But a 27-year-old Anganwadi worker from Nandurbar district of Maharashtra just would not give up on these hamlets that come under her service.
Relu Vasave has been rowing a small boat for 5 days every week since April to keep an eye on the children of these hamlets, and mainly to make sure they do not starve.
She borrows a boat every afternoon and rows the Narmada river for a round trip of 18 km just to reach these children who are dependent on her. She fills her row-boat with supplies and sets off to reach 25 newborn and malnourished children so they don’t lose out on proper nutrition. Not just rowing but she also treks up the hilly terrain to reach these hamlets.
Relu told ANI, “It is not easy to row every day. My hands ache by the time I’m back home in the evening. But that doesn’t worry me. It’s important that the babies and the expecting mothers eat nutritious food. I will visit these hamlets till things improve on the Covid front.”