If you meet Pachi, whom everyone lovingly calls Amma, the first thing you notice is her gentle smile. She is 85 years old and has lived in the Ekta Vihar slum community for more than thirty years.
After her husband passed away, she raised her three sons alone, working through many hardships with the hope that one day they would care for her in old age. But as her health weakened, she was left largely on her own. Pain in her knees, shoulders, and back made everyday tasks difficult, and there were times when she even struggled to find a meal.
One day Pachi Amma slipped in her bathroom and badly injured her hand. When the Asha team realised she had stopped coming to the centre, they visited her home and arranged an X ray at the Asha Polyclinic. The report showed a fracture and nerve compression in her hand.
After her hand was plastered at the hospital, the injury healed slowly and swelling remained. She was then referred to the Asha Physiotherapy Clinic, where modern physiotherapy equipment and trained professionals provide treatment free of cost for slum residents.
Through regular therapy and guided exercises, her pain gradually reduced and strength slowly returned to her hand.
Today Pachi Amma says that when her own family could not support her, the Asha centre stood beside her.
Her smile reminds us that access to compassionate and quality healthcare can change lives even in the later years of life.
