#20200903 - BCom 2nd year student studying in Chennai

This student is in the second year of her Commerce degree in a women’s college in Chennai. Her father runs a small bunk shop selling paan and newspapers. But the COVID-19 pandemic has struck the family hard. When shops had to remain shut due to the lockdown, the family vacated their rented house and began staying in a space behind the shopfront. They continued this way because they could not pay the advance deposit that is required for another rented home. The family is paying Rs. 6,000 as rental charges for the “petti kadai”.

From telephone interviews with the student’s mother, the Aalayam team found that the parents are keen to give a good education to their son and daughter although they are not literate themselves. They had taken a loan for their son’s education in a private engineering college so they have a debt to pay back.

Aalayam has agreed to assist the student with a sum of Rs. 14,000 towards her fees.