Leading Into the Unknown, by Ravi Kant, New Delhi
Born, raised, and currently residing in New Delhi, Ravi is committed to advocating for an end to human trafficking and all forms of gender-based violence.
As frontline responders, we were on the streets from day one of the lockdown. I was under intense pressure. I wondered, how will I face the consequences, if one of our team member contracts the virus? I was afraid that if there was a casualty among them, I would be responsible.
It felt especially painful, because my brothers, who are part of the team I work with, would not allow me to venture out.
They said, “At least one person needs to be safe.”
To beat the pressure, I started gardening. I did research on what to plant, at what time, and learned a lot. Together, my brothers and I created a small garden in front of our house.
One day, I read the news of the death of the husband of a police officer we work with. An upright officer who has helped several girls escape human trafficking came down with COVID-19. This led to the spread of the infection in her family. Ultimately, her husband died.
She blamed herself, saying, “He never ventured out.”
The news really had a deep impact on me. Here I was, allowing my team to be exposed. I continuously prayed for their protection. Slowly the time passed, and up until now, none of them has contracted COVID.
Today, my family are proud owners of this small garden, which gives us such happiness. And yet, I still carry the guilt of potentially exposing my entire team to the virus.
I do not know whether I’m making the right decisions, but I do know that I am very grateful to each and every one of them. They are among the unsung heroes of the pandemic.
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(This story was prepared for an “Imagine Another World” online storytelling workshop held December 19, 2020.)
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