My name is Saira Bano. I have been living in the Mayapuri slum community for the last 50 years. My small shanty is on the side of the busy railway line where I live alone. Although I have three sons, they have all left me to fend for myself. My husband passed away five years ago after a brief illness. He used to run a tea stall from our small shanty, which barely helped in making ends meet. After he died, I became destitute. If someone gave me food, I would eat it; otherwise, I would go to sleep on an empty stomach. I lost a lot of weight.
In 2022, I became a beneficiary of the Love and Lunch programme at Asha, and it changed my life. I really enjoy coming to the Asha center every day and having nutritious food. I used to eat slowly as I had lost most of my teeth and couldn't chew food properly.
Late last year, Dr. Kiran invited me for lunch. She saw my health issue and told me that she would do something for me. In April, when the dental clinic opened, Dr. Kiran made sure that I was seen by Dr. Gandhi, Asha’s dentist. After examining me, Dr. Gandhi recommended extracting the remaining teeth and fitting a full denture. After two weeks, I got my teeth back, and the best thing is that I can eat chapatti again.
Thank you, Dr. Kiran and the Asha family, for the dental clinic. Now I am able to eat to my heart's content.
