Guddy’s Story

Guddy

Sitting in Guddy’s front porch area, smelling the garlic, onion, chilli and spices going into the Bindi curry her daughter is making; I am watching Bhagchand fitting wire to make light in Guddy’s new bathroom/ toilet outbuilding.

A lovely international tourist friend of Guddy’s helped to pay for the bathroom construction but Bhopa village has ensured their bathing privacy with 2 metal doors, one for each space and now light.

The sad reason for their absolute necessity, is due to a horrible motorbike accident that has left Guddy’s husband, Sunil with brain damage.

Guddy has tirelessly worked to care for her husband, meticulously avoiding him contracting any secondary infection during his partial physical recovery. Sunil is now able to walk with some assistance and has refound language. However, he is and will remain dependant upon Guddy and his four children.

Guddy works all season selling anklets and making henna for tourists. In the hot time she makes blankets and does what she can to bring income into the home

This is repetitive, and sometimes disheartening work. Although over the years Guddy has made many friends and her English is amazing. She always remembers you and will offer whatever she can to her friends. She also has a tight knit friendship with many of her co-workers at Sunset Point by the Lake. When you see her in the market, we highly recommend her to you.

The hot time is coming now and as Bhopa village has been able to help, along with our great emitra friend, Shiv, it has been possible to attend Ajmer hospital for Sunil to be assessed and he will soon start receiving a government va clang (handicapped) pension. This will make things a little easier on this lovely family.

A lot of what Bhopa village tries to do, is to help fill the gap between the government help available and the people who do not know, or are dismissed by the system as being too difficult, to help. Illiteracy is one of the main issues, as well as the sheer investment in time necessary to accomplish the many tasks and hurdles to obtain the government help. Hospitals, emitra’s and government officials are sadly lacking in their treatment of poorer illiterate people who have not begun to acquire the paperwork the middle classes nowadays take for granted. This is where support through these steps can change lives and open up access to the lifeline of government aid. Thanks once again to the amazing Shiv, in Pushkar. And on this occasion, also to Himet, our great taxi driver who also helped put gentle pressure on doctors and staff at Ajmer Hospital, ensuring Guddy and Sunil were not dismissed. He went above and beyond his transport duties. Immense thanks.

So we are pleased to say that Guddy is now in a better position with her family than she was. However, she has taken loans to pay for much of the work and care of Sunil and still all 6 people sleep and live in one room, but now Sunil can wash and dress more easily and care can be more private due to the immense amount of reorganising their home. Ultimately, better living conditions are now available.

Bhopa village is entirely dependant upon donations and sales of brass jewelry @thechapelemporium in Pembroke. If you wish to help with the ongoing projects to help people struggling with life and poverty, please PayPal at bhopavillage@yahoo.com and see how and where every rupee is spent at www.bhopavillage.com

Every little helps. 🙏