Citizens’ groups come to the aid of transgenders

At this time of national distress due to the global Coronavirus pandemic, the transgender community in the city is going through immense struggle.

The survival of their community is solely dependent on collecting alms in local trains and perfor ming at paid events and religious ceremonies. However, due to the lockdown, the whole country came to a standstill and the transgender community has been forced to stay without ear nings for the last three months.

Smriti Kumari resides inside the lanes of Ghatkopar's densely populated Gokul Colony. Kumari earns her livelihood by collecting alms at the local trains. But ever since the lockdown has been imposed, her earnings came to a standstill.

"Our lives are dependent on begging. We were managing on our own by building community kitchens, but now we don't have adequate ration because our cash reserve was short-lived," said Kumari.

However, amid these testing times, citizens’ volunteer group Mumbai North Central District Forum (MNCDF) has come to their rescue.

The civic volunteer group has been operating flying squads by which they are supplying essentials and medicines to the senior citizens. The MNCDF also involved in feeding the strays.

"We have mapped as many as 1,700 people from the transgender communities and have been supplying ration kits to them," said Trivankumar Karnani, founder and spokesperson MNCDF.

"Transgenders are a neglected community and their livelihoods have been adversely affected amid the lockdown. Thus we are doing our part to ease their distress," Karnani states.

MNCDF have distributed 8,500 kg of rice, 3,500 of dal and 2,000 kgs of atta. The forum also getting support from film producer Manish Mundra.

MNCDF have distributed 8,500 kg of rice, 3,500 of dal and 2,000 kgs of atta.