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“They say I am cursed. First my husband died… now my son.”
My name is Sarika. My husband was our family’s strength. He was only a barber, but with his hard work he carried our little world. He was there to hold my hand, to share my struggles, to protect our son’s future. And then… one fever changed everything. By nightfall he was weak, and within a week dengue had taken him away. Just like that, I became a widow. My son was only five. He kept asking me, “Where did Papa go?” — but what answer could I give?
From that day, I lived not only with grief, but with society’s whispers:
“She’s alone now.” “Will she survive without a man?” “How will she raise a child on her own?”
I tried to prove them wrong. I took a small job in a clothing shop, earning enough so my son could stay in school and have a future. I skipped meals, sold my jewellery, and worked long hours — all I thought I was holding us together… until fever came back into my life. This time it was my little boy. He grew breathless, his fevers wouldn’t stop, and he grew thinner every day.
I've been raising my son on my own since
When doctors said “Acute Myeloid Leukemia”… my whole world collapsed again. His only chance is an urgent bone marrow transplant. But I had to quit my job — I cannot leave his side even for a day.
And those same voices that once doubted me, now taunt me again: “First her husband, now her son. She really is cursed.”
And those same voices that once doubted me, now taunt me again: “First her husband, now her son. She really is cursed.”
Ten Things a Single Mother Has to Face
- Being called “cursed”, avoided at weddings, festivals, or even blamed for her husband’s death.
- Hearing: “She can’t survive without a man,” yet no one stepping forward to support her.
- Sacrificing food, clothes, health, and rest — so every rupee goes to her child.
- Struggling with low-paying jobs, unequal wages, or being forced to quit work to care for her child.
- Being both mother and father: caregiver, breadwinner, protector, and emotional anchor.
- Living every day with the terror: “If something happens to me, who will take care of my child?”
He's running out of time
But do they know what it means to carry both grief and hope, single-handedly? Do they know what it means to bury your husband… and then watch your child slip away, helpless?
We need your help now
I quit my job because I could not leave his side, not even for a day. Every hour in the hospital is a struggle, not only to see him in pain but also to think about the money I do not have. I already lost my husband. I cannot lose my son too. Please… help me save him.
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