NEW DELHI: Ever since the
lockdown
started in Delhi this year, Ayesha (28), a transgender person, has been unable to earn money at traffic signals in Dwarka. “Only a few vehicles are plying and those sitting inside four-wheelers choose to close their windows. With no income, it has become difficult to arrange food and I have been unable to pay my monthly rent of Rs 3,500,” Ayesha said.
Ayesha is one of the many transgender people who have been hit hard due to the lockdown. To help such people, NIPUN, an NGO, has started distributing dry rations and sanitary kits among them. The NGO distributed dry rations to 76
transgenders
on Sunday and 110 on Monday. Most of the beneficiaries were from Kapashera, Najafgarh and Dwarka areas.
“The Covid-induced lockdown has left transgender people at heightened risk of hunger and poverty since most of them make their living by begging, street entertainment and paid sex. They are not socially privileged to operate within the online world as they are predominantly dependent on social interactions and functions,” said a volunteer of the NGO.
Pradeep Kumar, secretary, NIPUN, said, “Most of the transgender people do not have ration cards. As they have no work or income, they have been badly hit. They need support from the government and public. We will identify more transgender people in Kapashera to provide them free ration.”
Rashi, a transgender person (30) who received dry ration from the NGO on Monday, said, “We have been struggling to make ends meet. Our condition slightly improved in January this year, but the lockdown has again made us sit at homes. Even if we go to beg at traffic signals wearing masks, the passersby ask us to return home due to the
pandemic
.”
Soni (name changed), a transgender who works as a sex worker, said, “Ever since the lockdown began, I am left with no customer. We request the government to help us.”
The NGO will be distributing dry rations to families of migrant workers in Meera Bagh in Paschim Vihar on Tuesday.
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