Udupi daily wage labourer spends life savings for needy suffering amid lockdown
MANGALURU: For some 70-odd families who were facing tough times due to the Covid lockdown, Krishna J from Ambalpady village in Udupi district came as a friend in need. Though the 42-year-old dailywage worker had little for himself, he didn’t flinch for a second when it came to spending his earnings and savings on the poor families in his neighbourhood.
Krishna, who works as a woodcutter and stays with his mother and sister just 3 km from Udupi, has come to the aid poor families in Kalmady, Kappettu, Katapady, Bachanabail and other areas by providing them with ration kits - rice, tea powder, sugar, coconuts, soaps, etc.
“When I go for work, many poor families seek help. Several weeks ago, due to heavy rains, many trees were uprooted which I had to clear. I earned some money with that and used it to buy essentials for the needy. I come from a poor family and there are many like me who are struggling to make ends meet during this lockdown. I had saved Rs 70,000 and some money which I earned recently, and I decided to use it to help the needy,” said Krishna.
“In the beginning, we supplied essentials to people’s doorstep and later, we called them to a Bhajana Mandir and distributed the kits in the presence of gram panchayat members,” he said. Apart from cutting wood, he also takes up other works like coconut picking and roofing work. Asked why he decided to help the needy when he himself does not have enough money, Krishna said, “I know what poverty is and I understand the hunger pangs. During this trying moment, we need to help each other,” said Krishna, who has studied up to Class 9.
Apart from distributing ration kits, Krishna has been helping many poor families with ambulance expenses, in case of death. Last year too, he distributed ration kits to the needy during the lockdown.