One day at time!

I met with this group of migrant workers who were on their walk to the main cross road ahead, where employers come looking for people to work in the farm or to do other household chores. They find work for a day or two in a week, unlike a few years ago, when they had regular assured work for at least five days in a week.

This group mainly in the late twenties have been migrants from Bihar, living in Kerala for six years. Soon after they came they were badly hit by demonetisation of the five hundred and thousand rupees in 2016, which halted  their work abruptly. For the last two and half years, it was the COVID related economic stress. From an income of about four thousand rupees in a week in 2016, their income is now an average of thousand rupees in a week. They save more than half of it for their families back at home. 

I was on my to hospital when I stopped to meet them. They smiled at me to welcome and bid  farewell to me! I carried their smile with me while driving to the hospital. What is the source and reason of their smile!

They adapted to live stressfully! I do not remember seeing any migrant worker who is overweight. At least thirty percent of the regular residents in Kerala are overweight. The migrant workers live responsibly even amidst the stress of uncertainty for livelihood!

Fortunately, most people who turn to the migrant labourers for manual work, have a kind attitude towards them. They are considered as guests. Often the rental premises they live in are affordable. The migrant workers talked to me about the affordable cost to hire a place. One of them spoke about his landlord who gives him an evening meal once or twice a week. For him that kindness was an encouraging experience. 

The migrant guests live one day at a time! They go out looking for work each day! This conversation gave me a sense of the reality of stress in the lives of others!

M.C.Mathew(text and [picture)