EXCERPTS FROM GANGAMMA’S DIARY-A SEQUEL!
Abu Dhabi: While in the previous article Gangamma is a helpless lady, in this sequel she emerges strong and full of ideas. She empowers other women to stand on their own two feet.(Ref:Excerpts from Gangamma’s Diary…..a Story on Covid-19 Experience! )
1 November 2020
Dear diary,
My vegetable business is over. No one is buying. They are all too scared. I need to find a way to earn some money. My house miraculously hasn’t yet fallen down. Leaking everywhere though.
3 November 2020
Dear diary,
I have got an idea! I noticed today, children walking with their parents. The little ones were wearing masks that were too big for them. I am thinking of making kid sized masks with my saree. I know I have got a needle and thread somewhere.
6 November 2020
Dear diary
Life is improving. I made a few small masks with some colorful fabric from some old sarees. Of course, I washed them first. After they were ready, I went to my neighbors house and talked to her from afar, gave her the masks to give her children. She was delighted.
7 November 2020
Dear diary,
My roof is beyond repair. I called a roofer. After he examined it, he told me that he could not fix it.\
8 November 2020
Dear diary
Everyone is now asking me to make masks for their children.
I made some, they are all sold out. I made more to sell tomorrow. With the money I made, I was able to buy better fabric with pretty patterns on them. I also bought some plastic diamonds and sequins that I am going to sew on to masks.
If demand for my masks continues, I may be able to build a new house soon.
11 November 2020
Dear diary,
Life is great but there is something bothering me. I have always been envious of Parvati, the richest woman in town. She is rich, simply because she married the richest man in town. Today when I saw her in the market wearing a beautiful saree, my envy increased. I pulled out a piece of charcoal from my earthen oven and drew a sketch. A one headed lady with her face split in two. One half me. The other half Parvati.
I drew her exactly as I have known her. But when I was done I noticed that she didn’t have a smile. Nor was she smiling in the market either. When I come to think of it, I have never seen her smile. I decided to visit her.
As we chatted, I found out that she did not work at all. There were always people to wait on her and do as she pleased. Oh! That must be life. But she also told me that when she needed money, she always had to ask her husband for it. He in turn would always refuse. So she did not like to ask him at all.
I realized that she was a rich lady without a smile. A poor, rich lady.
13 November 2020
Dear diary
I am sad. My life is good. But after meeting with Parvati, I noticed that every single woman in town is always depending on their husbands for money. They also never went to school . Neither did I. but I attended an evening school for adults , and within two months I could read and write.
15 November 2020
Dear diary,
I have another idea. The demand for my masks is getting too large to handle.
So, I have been thinking about employing some women to help me stitch masks.
17 November 2020
Dear diary
I put my plan into action.
Some women now help me stitch, and I am able to finish my orders much quicker.
I pay them for every hour they work. Now they can buy whatever they need without having to ask their husbands for money. I also encouraged them to attend the school for adults. I am happy to say that even Parvati stitches here now. She is now always seen with a smile on her face. She also does some of her household work.
Lakshmi, one of my new helpers, gave me a lovely silk sari which she bought with her own saved up money. It’s the best and only gift I have ever received.
20 November 2020
Dear diary,
My roof is really bad.
I might need to move soon. Where is the money? I have made a lot, but it is not enough for a new house.
30 November 2020
Dear diary,
I am so happy! My helpers knew how bad the roof situation is in my house, so they had been saving money for days.
Today they gave me a jar full of money. I was ecstatic. When I counted it later, there was enough for a small, new house.
1 January 2021
Dear diary,
Happy new year to you! I am writing this entry in my new house.
I had a dream that was too good to be true. I dreamt that scientists found a cure for COVID- 19, but people were still being cautious and wearing masks and gloves.
21 January 2021
Dear diary,
I can’t believe it. My dream is coming true. I am not a fortune teller or anything. Just a village woman. The government has just announced that a cure for COVID is found!
Thank goodness! People are now dancing with masks and gloves in the streets. I am watching them from afar.
1 February 2021
Dear diary,
The government is providing the much awaited vaccine to rural areas and villages for free. Health workers have been visiting houses administering the vaccine to people. People have stopped wearing protective gear. Only a few people are cautious now. I am one of the cautious few.
Corona, listen up – I want to tell you something. Even though you were terrible, people have learnt from you. They learnt that united they can do anything!
About Author- Miss Leah March Rodrigues
Miss Leah March Rodrigues, daughter of Santhosh and Ashel Rodrigues, residing in Abu Dhabi is 11 yrs old, and studying at St. Joseph’s School, Abu Dhabi in Grade: 6. She has a little sister, Gina Mary who is five years old, seen in the photo above. Leah’s hobbies are Reading, Thinking, Writing, Drawing and Sketching, Singing and lots more interesting things.
“Despite the pandemic, chaos, destruction of mother nature etc I have managed to thrive on this earth for 11 years. That I think is an achievement in itself. Apart from that I play the violin and clinging rungs of Trinity music exams. I am an altar server at St. Joseph’s Church, Abu Dhabi. I won a book reading contest in 2016, during UAE’s year of reading” says Leah..
ARTICLE SENT BY LEAH RODRIGUES IN REFERENCE TO Calling All Young Students! Write Meaningful Stories Connected to Pandemic or Hobbies
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Excerpts from Gangamma’s Diary…..a Story on Covid-19 Experience!
Wow Leah, it’s an amazing article… Keep writing??? Happy to know that Gangamma finally got her new ? house