The power of coming together to end extreme poverty in India

Sangita Devi lives with her husband, Arjun, and 7-year-old daughter in Chirkhund Village, Palamu. Arjun is a daily-wage worker but is often unable to work because of his epilepsy. In 2021, pushed to the brink by extreme hunger, Arjun sought work in Punjab. But he had to come back home within a month after a seizure at his workplace. With barely any savings to contribute, Sangita could not continue in her self-help group or ask them for a loan. The family has no Aadhaar or ration cards, cannot access the public distribution system for food, and cannot grow their own food as they have no land. While Sangita is eligible for a disability pension owing to an impairment in her right hand, she doesn’t receive the money.