We are the World Blogfest (#WATWB) focuses on positive stories no matter where they’re found. It is all about spreading peace and humanity on social media.
For this edition, we have the story of Akshay Kothawale, an auto-rickshaw driver, who saved money for his marriage but postponed the ceremony due to the Covid lockdown. He used that money and more to feed migrant labourers and those in distress.
“While working as an auto-rickshaw driver, I could save around Rs 2 lakh (2,600 USD) for my marriage, which was scheduled on May 25. But, due to the lockdown extension, we thought it would not be appropriate to have the ceremony now, so my fiancee and I decided to postpone the marriage,” he said.
During the lockdown, Kothawale was pained to see several poor people, specially migrant labourers, facing hardships due to no work and no income.
“I saw several people on roads who could not even afford to have one meal and were struggling to survive. I and some of my friends then thought of doing something to help the daily wagers and needy people,” he said.
It is wonderful that humanity is alive and well during a pandemic (unlike the tropes in some dystopian movies and literature), and that people like Akshay are doing the best they can to help their fellow humans.
Social media and the news have tended to devolve in our current times, so it is heartwarming to note that many are reaching out with all they have. Tragically, Akshay lost his father to illness in the same period, but that did not deter him. He continued to help those in need.
What about you? What uplifting stories of humanity in action have seen during these uncertain covid times? Would you like to post details of how people can donate in various parts of the world to help those who need it the most?
—-
This post was the latest installment of the monthly We Are the World Blogfest: I’d like to invite you to join, if you haven’t as yet, to post the last Friday of each month a snippet of positive news that shows our essential, beautiful humanity.
This month’s co-hosts, Shilpa Garg, Sylvia McGrath, Susan Scott Belinda Witzenhausen and yours truly welcome participants and encourage all to join in.
Here’s a sampler of this blogfest. Click here to know more. Sign up here and add your bit of cheer to the world on the next installment.
My debut literary crime novel,”You Beneath Your Skin,” published by the fab team at Simon and Schuster IN, is making its way to TV screens via Endemol Shine.
It is available in India here.
Worldwide, here.
Reviews are appreciated–please get in touch if you’d like a review copy.
———–
Get Curated Writing Resources Subscribe to Blog Join Daily (w)rite on FB
Beautiful, selfless people. The world needs more like Akshay <3
Love this! What a selfless act. Thanks so much for sharing and for co-hosting this month. Hope you have a fantastic week! Stay safe and be well!😊
That is really inspiring! We need more people like Akshay! Hope all of us do whatever little we can to help those in need.
Hi Damyanti – Akshay and his fiance are just superb – honourable citizens, who put others before themselves … how very generous of them … thoughtful, compassionate and generous … there are so many who need help now. Thanks for letting us know about him – brilliant … take care and best wishes for everyone – Hilary
Congrats on the movie deal! On the positive news side, many of my friends are making masks and distributing them for free to hospitals, etc.
Akshay is a perfect example of someone who sacrifices and gives from the heart and pocketbook. I’ve read other stories of people who have used their own funds to feed the needy and I applaud them all. Thanks for sharing this Damyanti. It gives me hope that the world is a decent place, populated by mostly decent people.
I think I’ve seen a lot more people simply checking that other people are OK rather than any one specific thing. It’s good to see that when the chips are down, most people react by caring about each other.
Such people reaffirme my faith in humanity. That was so kind of him. Beautifully written ❤️
I read this one a few days back, and what can I say. Just speechless at all the goodness around us. And we chose to always focus on the bleakness.
There are so many real life, unsung heroes. So many real life tales of generosity and good will.
We just need to hold on to them and keep that hope intact.
Love<3
Congratulations on taking You Beneath Your Skin to the small screen.
This auto rickshaw driver’s actions are uplifting. Isn’t it heartening how many of these stories we get to read these days – about people caring for each other in the pandemic?
Wonderful story Damyanti thank you! Thank you for this post and co-hosting this month.All best wishes to Ashkay and his wife to be 🙂 Have a lovely weekend!
That is a truly lovely story. Thank you.
It is the type of story we ALL need. Now more than ever.
What a wonderful story D; totally made my day to read it. There have been many such happy and powerful stories in these hard times and it just builds my belief in the goodness of humanity.
What a great act of kindness…
Those who are able to go to supermarkets here because they have been cleared of the virus are supporting those who are locked in or out of a job. So many are doing that so there is still some goodness in this world.