Hyderabad-based ‘Street Cause’ lends helping hand to Hijras

Street Cause provides grocery kits to over 1,100 people from the marginalised section

Hyderabad: The Hijra community is one of the most marginalised sections of the population, relying on either begging or sex work for a livelihood. They suffered during the first wave and in the same manner, are suffering again in the second wave, for lack of any steady earnings, with some having no money to buy even essentials.

Helping them tackle the situation is city-based student organisation Street Cause. Student volunteers of the NGO donated dry groceries to over 1,100 members of the Hijra community last week.

“We did a similar drive last year and this time, we went bigger, by ensuring over 1,100 members get dry groceries and other essentials enough for one person for a month and a half. Their primary sources of livelihood are not available as of now and it is our social responsibility to help them. That is why we have taken up this initiative,” says Sai Samhith of Street Cause.

Raising over Rs 11 lakh for this initiative, members of the NGO prepared grocery packets comprising 10 kg of rice, dal, sugar, pickle, spices, oil, coffee powder, soap, toothpaste and other such essentials at a cost of Rs 1,000 per kit.

Volunteers from the group went to various areas around Uppal, Mallapur, Saroornagar, Moosapet and IDPL, donating grocery kits to members of the community, with the help of Hijra/Trans organisations. “We ensured these volunteers’ temperature was checked and they have also been instructed to take all precautions, wearing masks and face-shields to ensure their safety. We also hired a few workers to aid us in delivering,” he says.

Another interesting aspect about this drive is that they also identified members of the community who are HIV positive. “People who are HIV positive need extra care related to their nutrition and to ensure that, we identified 50 HIV positive people and included items that would cater to their specific nutritional needs as well,” adds Samhith.

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