From 'Pride of Home' to Streets: A Woman's Decade-Long Struggle for Survival in Delhi

A woman named Parveen, originally from Prayagraj, arrived in Delhi with her children in 2014, hoping to reunite with her missing husband. What followed was a decade of homelessness on Delhi's streets, a struggle marked by danger, exploitation, and the erosion of dignity. Parveen recounts her journey from a married woman with a home and family to living in a shelter, her husband lost to mental illness. She faced poverty, had to sell her belongings, and begged for food for her children. Despite the harsh realities and threats, including sexual harassment and violence, her resolve to protect her daughters remained. She eventually found her husband living on the streets, ill and unresponsive. Now residing in a shelter, Parveen works as a caretaker, earning a modest income. Her dreams are focused on her children's education and securing a home for them, holding onto the memory of her past life and the hope for a better future.