Real life heroes: This Vizag-based couple has fed over 500 people amid lockdown

The coronavirus pandemic has brought out many qualities in us that were previously untapped. A welcome sign is the increased responsibility we have felt for those around us. Numerous people around the world have started to feed the needy and donate to the underprivileged during these unprecedented times to emerge real life heroes. Closer home, a Vizag-based couple, Raju and Eswari, has been feeding hundreds of underprivileged since the lockdown began. While Raju is employed as a car driver, his wife, Eswari, is a cook. At present, both of them aren’t working due to the lockdown restrictions, but continue to feed people every day. Here’s the story of a couple whose generosity surpasses financial boundaries, if any.

When asked about why they started the food drive, the couple unanimously said that they grew up battling hunger. “Ever since I was little, I have always had some unexplained urge to help people in need. I would always share with whatever little I had, irrespective of the circumstances. With the lockdown in effect now, God has, fortunately, put us in a place where we can fend for ourselves. We had enough food for ourselves and couldn’t bear to see millions of migrants and daily wagers on the streets, with nothing to eat. So I put my cooking skills to use and started making food for people,” says Eswari. “This is not the first time we contributed to the needy. For our children’s birthdays, we always donate to an orphanage,” quips Raju.

So far, the couple has fed well over 500 people in Vizag with their personal savings and effort. They have been supplying food to people at the Gyanapuram bridge and Siripuram among other areas, every day, without fail. Standing out as real life heroes, they are now being approached by several donors who wish to donate rice and other food material required for cooking.

Charity truly begins at home for this family, and we are thoroughly inspired by Raju and Eswari’s commitment to society, despite their economic background.