News - #SolidarityWorks! Women receive ‘dignity kits’, sanitary napkin packs, soap, condoms. © Cividep 20 May 2020 Emergencies for women – what is Cividep's approach? Rathnamma works as a seamstress in the clothing industry. Her husband had an accident six months ago that made him unfit for work. Rathnamma is now a single earner. They have a 15-year-old daughter who goes to 9th grade. Due to the Corona-related lockdown, they can no longer afford rent and school fees. Lalithamma also works as a seamstress. She and her husband are separated. Lalithamma lives with her two children. She earns the money to cover rent, food, education of her children and other costs. Their biggest concern right now is not having money for rent and groceries. Living in Bangalore Most textile workers, who are not supported by husbands with stable salaries, live in one-room huts, which are about 4.50 meters by 4.50 meters in size. The huts are mostly built of bad materials, and often consist only of asbestos sheets. There are no private bathrooms or access to running water. It is common for neighborhoods and settlements to share toilets and washbasins together. The rent for such a house is usually between 55 to 72 euros (4500 – 6000 rupees). For Rathnamma and Lalithamma, this means that they usually spend half of their monthly salary on rent. Support for women-led households Cividep in cooperation with Munnade and GLU supports women like Rathnamma and Lalithamma. They identify the needs of women-run households, low earners, often day labourers, and migrants or minorities. There are criteria for selection and support: Households with a female head of household are given the highest preference. Rent payments, the refilling of gas for cooking and expenses for the education of children have priority. Cividep Volunteers packs packages for women with cleaning products. © CividepWomen who have been reached and supported so far mostly work in the apparel industry. The precarious conditions to which they were already exposed before the coronavirus crisis are now exacerbated by the loss of jobs, wages and access to essential goods. Many of these women lead one-parent families, support disabled, elderly, or chronically ill family members. On the basis of the criteria, Rathnamma and Lalithamma were supported by Cividep. They received grants to pay their rent. Hygiene products (dignity kits), such as sanitary napkins, soap, condoms are also distributed. A total of 120 people received support for rent payments, food, gas for cooking, hygiene products and mobile phone credit. In cooperation with Greenpeace and Munnade, 300 particularly needy families in southern Bangalore were reached with organically produced food. 1,000 food packages went to working-class families in Krishnayanapalya. The families are mainly from Orissa and, as migrants in Krishnayanapalya, are also in a particularly precarious situation, as they face hostilities and exclusion from state aid. Workers in Konankunte, a suburb of Bangalore, also received emergency food packages. In Bangalore, Cividep, Munnade and GLU as well as the affected workers hope for the support of the Karnataka government and the distribution of food by the Ministry of Labour. The government has created a portal for this. Cividep has entered all workers with whom there is contact into the portal, so hopefully they will receive government support in the future. The emergency aid from Cividep, Munnade and GLU can then focus mainly on other vital areas, such as rental support and school fees.
