Once Branded As Illegal Bangladeshi Immigrants, They're Now Donating Blood To Help Society

Earlier this year many of them were facing the threat of eviction and a loss of livelihood. They were branded as illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and were being thrown out of their 'homes' by the BBMP and Police.

The shanties in Bengaluru's Thubarahalli are the home of a migrant community, mostly from West Bengal who have been living in the city doing odd jobs and working as maids and rag-pickers.

BCCL/ FILE

But on Sunday, many of them became blood donors, for the first time in their lives.

The blood donation was organized by the Lions Blood Bank and Indira Gandhi Institute of Child Health as well as Swaraj Abhiyan and many other non-governmental organisations.

During the blood donation drive, 75 residents of Thubarahalli donated their blood.?For many of the Thubarahalli residents, it was a way of giving something back to society.

Most of the migrant workers in Thubarahalli who have been doing small jobs were left without work and income during the lockdown and survived on handouts by NGOs.

BCCL

“During the lockdown, several non-governmental organisations helped us get three square meals a day. Even now, we do not have jobs. So we decided that we wanted to be of help to people. We cannot donate money, but we thought it would ideal if we could donate our blood and save lives,” one of the donors told The Hindu.

The blood donation was organized due to a shortage of blood for transfusions because of COVID-19.

Many including those in need of urgent surgeries and those undergoing regular blood transfusions are having a tough time due to the shortage in blood banks.

AFP

Blood banks say regular donors are keeping away due to the fear of COVID-19.

Recently, in a similar development, a group of migrant workers from Bihar, who were living in Surat had come forward to donate plasma after recovering from COVID-19.