INTERVIEW OF LAKSHMI

1. What is your Age?

2. Tell me something about your education.

3. When did you get married?

4. When did you come to New Delhi?

5. What does your husband do?

6. How much does he earn?

7. How much do you earn?

8. How many children do you have?

9. Do your children go to school?

10. What do you want your children to become?

11. What are the problems you face?

12. What do you hope for the future?

This project is on the life of my maid ‘LAKSHMI’, who is about 35 years old and is

living a life of hardships with her husband and two children.

Lakshmi’s husband works in a factory as a daily wage labourer and earns a

meagre amount of Rs. 300/- per day.

Lakshmi works in 3 houses and with the money she earns, she helps her husband

to make the life of their children a little easier.

Lakshmi was born in a poor family in Bihar. She is the youngest of her 5 siblings.

Her parents worked as labourers in the fields of the village landlord and with the

meagre money that they earned, they could hardly provide even the smallest

necessities to their children. Lakshmi although joined the village school as the

education there was free yet she left it after sixth standard because her parents

wanted her to help them. So, very early in her life, she started working with her

parents.

As per the custom that is generally followed in the villages, Lakshmi was married

at the age of 16 years. However, it did not bring any change to her life. Her

husband worked at a ration shop in nearby small town.

About 10 years back i.e. in the year 2012, Lakshmi, with the hope of living a better

life, shifted to the city of New Delhi. Initially, the family faced many problems.

Then, her husband Ramesh, got a job in a factory. But, as his income was not

enough to make the both ends meet, she started working in a few houses.
Family

There are four members in Lakshmi’s family. She, her husband and two children.

Her son is aged 15 years and the daughter is 13. The two children study in a local

government school.

Problems faced during COVID Pandemic

The COVID pandemic brought a mountain of difficulties for Lakshmi and her

family. Her husband lost his job as the factory where he worked was closed. Even

Lakshmi was out of work as the visit of any outsider was banned in societies. She

described the period of lockdown as the hardest of her life. It was difficult to get

even three times of meal leave aside the sources to help the children with their

study. However, she is thankful to the people for helping her family in their

struggle for survival. She told that her husband wanted to return to the village but

she herself was adamant to stay back with the hope of improvement in the

situation. She also informed how people provided them not only with the food but

a family also gave her books and other material for her children. Today, she is

happy for her decision of not going back to the village.

Although, Lakshmi’s family was lucky enough to get the help from the people

during the COVID Pandemic yet there are still many hardships in life which she

hopes to come out of in future.

Dreams for Future

Lakshmi feels that the life of hardships will come to an end one day. She and her

husband are optimistic about the future. She says that their first priority is to have

a shelter of their own. They do not have big dreams when it comes to have a house.

A small house of their own is what they want to have. They have been saving some

money and hope that in a few years they will be able to realise their dream.

Lakshmi says that she and her husband even wish to have a small piece of land in

their village.

Lakshmi does not want to continue with her work forever and wants to open a

small shop to increase their earnings.

Expectations from Children

Lakshmi does not want her children to do what she and her husband have spent

their lives in. Both the children go to school. Lakshmi told methat