Parents don't like it, but for too many families it's a matter of survival. People live in these slums because they're descendants of political refugees from Bangladesh or because they left the countryside for economic reasons. We see sorrow in the men who pull rickshaws with their arms and feet. One wife says her husband can't pull a rickshaw every day because of the strain, so he only works 25 days a month. Their abysmal wage isn't even mentioned.
Any decision made by the poor is more important.
Agrawal is the Calcutta officer for LWR's partner agency in Calcutta, Churches Auxiliary for Social Action. With LWR support, CASA helps develop communities throughout India as well as in Calcutta's slums. For example, two women buy a sewing machine with a CASA loan and start a dressmaking business. Extra income for the families takes pressure off the husbands and gives hope that the children can attend school instead of working. Profits enable the women to repay the loan, supporting the local women's group and helping other families in need.