COPING WITH UNEMPLOYMENT

Formerly a Software Engineer employed with a well-known IT company, Raunaq was given the exit ticket following a slowdown in the industry. Blame it on the pandemic. Many of his colleagues were in the same boat.

Five of them put their heads together and came up with the idea of visiting old age homes and elderlies living alone in apartments and offering a range of services. These included acting as companions for lonely couples, running errands, taking them to doctor's appointments, and anything and everything required to make their life easier with the withdrawal of many services.

They created a Facebook page announcing their new venture detailing the services and the cost thereof, pegged at the minimum. The intent was not to make money but to serve the community.

Responses started pouring in. Raunaq took charge of the Billimoria's living in an apartment in Bandra. Grey-haired, stoutly built, and on crutches for the last ten years, Azman, the retired army colonel, needed to visit the clinic every alternate day for physiotherapy treatment. Raunaq's offer seemed like a God send with no driver at his disposal. Besides, someone had to wash their car, and attend to banking activities. Azman was not comfortable with online banking nor with remembering passwords. Sitting him down, Azman explained the scope of his services, adding they would also love to have him live with them, till their man Friday returned from his village. Raunaq accepted the offer without hesitation. Free boarding and lodging and a generous stipend would help him tide over the loss of income from his salary. 

Gautam took charge of visiting the old age home for Alzheimer’s located close to his home in western Mumbai. Many of their staff had left, putting extra pressure on the resident nurses. Having handled his father afflicted with the same disease, he was empathetic towards such patients and knew how best to handle them. The resident head nurse welcomed his services. “We can’t pay you a big salary, but we will take care of your accommodation, meals, and a weekly day off. Gautam grabbed the offer without giving it a second thought.

Giving back to society was always on his mind, and what better opportunity than now to engage in such activities while on the bench?

Bibhas joined the emergency ward of a hospital nearby in the admissions department, for a small remuneration, enough to take care of his personal needs. Food was provided from the hospital canteen at a discounted rate. He couldn’t have asked for anything better. The hours were long and with the increased volume of patients being admitted to the emergency ward, his hands were more than full. Every time, a patient could not be saved and wheeled out draped in a white sheet, he felt the pain of the survivors of the deceased. How could he not? He had lost his grandmother just six months back to Covid.  

The three unemployed software engineers had risked their lives to serve in their various capacities, thus setting the trend for others to follow. They never earned any awards or even a mention in the newspaper but knew in their hearts that it was the right thing to do and the right attitude to adopt when there is a spanner in the works.