Due to COVID-19 pandemic leading to complete lockdown the worst affected are the landless and daily wage-earning Dalits especially the Musahars and Doms. Seeing the situation of the hunger and poverty Seva Sadan did a survey in nearby 6 Manjhi Tolas and 3 Dom Basties of Ratanpurwa under Bagaha -2 block. We felt the need of reaching out to these neglected hamlets. With the permission of local police administration Seva Sadan Team purchased raw food materials and packed them for distribution. The ration included 5 kilos of rice, half a kilo of pulse (dal), 1 kilo potato and 1 kilo onion and 200 ml cooking oil, two bathing and two washing soaps.
From 7th April to 9th April we covered distributing ration to 230 families of 6 Manjhi Tolas and 3 Dom Basties. The hamlets are namely 1.Maryaadpur Manjhi tola, 2. Pakarihar Manjhi tola, 3. Ratanpurwa Manjhi Tola, 4. Dolbajwa Manjhi Tola, 5. Hasnapur Manjhi Tola and 6. Sonebarsa Manjhi Tola, And 1. Kerai Tand Dom Basti, 2. Laxmipur Sauraha Dom Basti and 3. Bairagi Dom Basti. Police administration helped us in distribution of the ration smoothly keeping in mind the social distance etc. We have two more neighbouring Mushar villages where about 100 more families to be reached out with ration. Due to lack of resources we have stopped the relief work and plan to resume after 14th when the first phase of total lockdown ends. We are grateful to Khrist Raja Educational Association (KREA) for partially sponsoring the ration distribution. We are also indebted to FSMA sisters for their collaboration in this noble cause.
Fr. Stephenraj, S.J.
Director, Seva Sadan
Ratanapurwa