Mothers of Mercy: Life of ASHA workers during the pandemic
World Health Organisation (WHO) recently honoured ASHA volunteers for their crucial role in the pandemic. Here's a tribute to India's one million, all-women ASHA volunteers who, through the pandemic, knocked on the doors of cramped urban jhuggis and isolated rural villages on foot to educate, vaccinate, and save lives as if they were their own
By: Madhu Kapparath
Sunitha K N, an ASHA worker, readies to leave home for work in Mysuru, Karnataka, on May 18, 2021. The health workers earn around Rs 3,000 monthly, plus incentives based on performance. An ASHA worker looks after at least 200 households. Hence, most ASHAs belong to the village or block they reside in and know every household—gaining the trust of the community over time.
