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“My father had always inspired me to help others. So, on his last day when he asked me to take the responsibility of the ten elderly people who were under his care, I did not even hesitate and felt blessed. But unfortunately, the decision came with a huge price, and I was forced to separate from my son. In addition, I now beg from door to door to arrange the daily necessities for the home.” – Asha Ben Rajpurohit
Her family disowned her as they think she is committing sin
Thirty-five-year-old Asha Ben manages Sudama Old Age Home, which was started by her father in 2009. For her, it is not only a home providing care to old people who have been abandoned by their family, but a promise she made to her father. Though it is a challenge for anybody to take such a huge responsibility at a young age, but for Asha Ben, the challenge was much bigger.She says, “For my family, choosing work over household duties was a sin. When I told my husband about the promise I made to my father, he asked me to leave. Even my brother cut ties and kept me from seeing my son. But I couldn’t stop—these abandoned elders needed me.”
People thought, being a woman, she won’t be able to run the old age home
Today, her son who is all of seventeen now, is slowly breaking the barriers of his uncle’s harshness, and has become his mother’s biggest cheer leader. He even calls her and meets her time to time just to tell her how proud he is of her. His support, and the unconditional love she gets from the elderly people, keep her going.With excitement, Asha Ben says, “When I started, people thought that being a woman, I won’t be able to run the old age home even for a month. But it has already been five years, and today from ten, I have fifty elderlies under my care.”
Without money she is not able to afford proper medical care for the elderly people
However, although she has overcome many obstacles, the difficulties are not over yet. Without any funds left, she has not been able to hire any help, and thus she does all the work by herself - from cooking to cleaning, to giving these elderlies medicines on time; in addition to begging from door to door to arrange for the food grains and basic necessities.I once rescued an elderly grandpa who had been locked in a room by his sons for five days. He broke down and begged me to take him away. I cared for him for ten years. In his final days, his family tried to take him back, but he refused. “I’ll live with Asha and die here,” he said. I performed his last rites myself.
She is looking for a permanent home for the elderlies
Her troubles do not end here. With the rising cost and demand for medical attention, she is finding it impossible to pay the rent every month. Thus, for Asha Ben, there is no other option but to find a permanent home soon, to ensure safety and wellbeing of these elderlies.She adds, “Few of them cannot see at all, some of them cannot walk. Many of them are confined to bed even for their daily activities. What am I going to do if the owner suddenly asks us to vacate?”
Help Asha Ben Fight for the Forgotten
While families abandon their elders, Asha Ben stands by them. With your help, she can give them love, dignity, and a reason to live.Click here to donate.
EIN 20-5139364
