Bhavana, her husband Sajin, their two kids, aged four years and four months, went up the hills of Kerala’s Wayanad in Sajin’s pick-up truck all the way from their home in Idukki, to offer, like countless others, help in the landslide-struck areas where hundreds have died and many more are missing. Twenty-seven-year-old Bhavana had a unique offer of help, she said she would feed breast milk to babies who are separated from their mothers, or whose guardians were too injured to look after them. Sajin’s social media post about his wife’s offer brought many phone calls, taking the family of four to Wayanad on Thursday, August 1. On Monday, August 5, they have just come back home to Idukki, after having served families in camps in Meppadi for four days.
“We visited a few camps and hostels. I fed a few babies below six months of age, who cannot consume other kinds of food yet. But as soon as their mothers who were injured in the landslide recuperated, they would take over. We, as a family, also looked after the children or others who needed care,” Bhavana says.
Their elder girl Evangelina and younger son Elgin – who is still breastfeeding – were also with Bhavana and Sajin. “People had offered to sponsor our trip. But we were able to manage on our own,” Bhavana says. Sajin works as a pick-up driver and Bhavana is a homemaker.
“I used to work as a kindergarten guardian and teacher at a public school before marriage,” she recalls. The thought of offering to breastfeed came to her when she saw how people were suffering, photos of babies among them, and how everyone was trying to send in help. “I am a feeding mother, and I know breast milk is best for children, so that’s what I wanted to offer,” she says.
