Asha has been looking after Sheela and Ramyag, an abandoned elderly couple in the Zakhira Slum colony, for the last 12 years. Sheela suffered from a paralytic attack in 2010, and since then, she has been bedridden. Ramyag, a heart patient, left his daily labour job in a perfume-making enterprise to look after her as none of their children came to help. The couple has four children, all married and settled but not ready to take care of the old couple mentioning their familial responsibilities and financial difficulties. The Asha health team takes care of their health needs. They are also included in the ‘Love & Lunch’ Asha geriatric feeding programme. In ‘Love and Lunch’, the abandoned and poor elderlies in the Asha slums are served nutritious meals six days a week at every Asha Centre, creating a homely atmosphere. Ramyag comes to the Asha centre at Zakhira and enjoys the delicious meals prepared by the Asha team.
The Asha ambassadors reach food for Sheela at their home and feed her. They help Ramyag to clean the house, fetch water, and give gentle body massages to Sheela. They also provide essential daily use items to the couple regularly. Sheela and Ramyag find Asha a true refuge, as they are treated by the Asha team like a family member, always ready to reach them with tender love, holding the spirit of servanthood.
