My name is Payal. I live in New Delhi, India. Currently, I’m living in the Sarai Kale Khan shelter (for families).
In the beginning of the lockdown, the government gave us free meals but now we are not getting them. My grandfather passed away during the lockdown. I could not even see him before he died.
The government says ‘stay in your homes’ but we do not have a home, where do we go? The government hasn’t given us a house. We are working as labourers and trying to make ends meet. During the lockdown, we lost our livelihoods. We are faced with the acute crisis of hunger.
To the Government of India, I say: Housing is a human right and you are violating that right. I am not asking for my rights, I am claiming them.
— Payal [New Delhi, India]
The Global Homelessness Action is an international digital initiative that provides people experiencing homelessness the opportunity to collectively claim their right to housing and demand urgent action from governments through video, audio, and written testimonies. Learn more at maketheshift.org/homelessnessaction.
