Mahalaxmi

Mahalaxmi is 14 and lives with her mother, father and older brother in a 10′ x 10′ rented room in Shivshakti Nagar slum community in India. They are able to use a small place in the building for bathing indoors but their living space has no bathroom and they must use a public pay toilet. Before COVID-19, her father worked as an assistant cook in a hotel and her mother as a house cleaner, and their income did not enable the family to meet basic needs. With the pandemic, work and income has decreased. Despite devastating financial hardship, the family prioritizes the education of the children. They see that Mahalaxmi regularly attends school. Her teacher notes that she is a child with great potential – who works hard to reach it. She works to overcome self-esteem issues but has strong friendships with her classmates.