HSBC India commits Rs 15 crore to Mumbai's Dabbawalas for Covid relief

The Dabbawalas of Mumbai, who are facing compounding problems because of Covid-19 and the lockdown measures, have got a helping hand from HSBC India.

It has pledged financial assistance to the tune of Rs 15 crore to support Dabbawalas in Mumbai.

This support will be provided in association with United Way Mumbai and aimed at providing relief to Dabbawalas who have been significantly impacted due to the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns.

This donation will be utilised for a range of interventions to address the loss of income and livelihood of Mumbai’s renowned Dabbawalas, broadly covering: food security in form of rations and hygiene supplies to Dabbawalas and their families, life insurance to Dabbawalas, education support for learning and educational enablers for children grandchildren and livelihood support in form of bicycles to resume their services once lockdown restrictions are lifted.

As part of the support and relief packages, each dabbawala will be provided ration and hygiene material supplies for three months. Financial protection in the form of life insurance cover will be provided through tie-ups with insurance providers. Additionally, educational tabs and access to digital resources will be provided to school-aged children/grandchildren of Dabbawalas whose education has been impacted due to a lack of smartphones at home, to facilitate online learning. With schools likely to continue classes virtually for few more months, this support will be crucial in bridging the learning gap. Lastly, the Dabbawalas will also be provided cycles, their primary mode of transport, to resume their services once the lockdown restrictions are lifted.

Commenting on this initiative, Hitendra Dave, Interim CEO, HSBC India said, “The Dabbawalas have defined the grit and spirit of the city of Mumbai. An integral part of the city’s workforce and community, they have been hit hard by the pandemic with loss of livelihood. Our support to the Dabbawalas is in line with our endeavour of supporting the communities where we operate.”

Ulhas Muke, President, Nutan Mumbai Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust, said, “The Dabbawala service has never been shut in the past 130 years. But since March 2020 it has come to a total standstill. With no earnings over the past 14 months Dabbawalas are in financial crisis and it has been difficult for them to feed their families. Many of them had to return to their villages as survival in Mumbai is tough. Many have taken up temporary livelihoods such as selling vegetables and working as drivers.”

According to him, the HSBC India’s initiative will help the families cope with these very difficult times.

The mobile tabs will help our children study individually as most of them are studying in groups on one smartphone for the past one year. The bicycles will be important to resume our duties when restrictions are lifted and life returns to normalcy. “Dabbawalas are ready to work but the repair cost for the bicycle is very high and unaffordable. Lastly, the insurance will help provide the much needed safety cover to us and our families,” he said.

The pandemic brought the operations of the Dabbawalas who deliver tiffins to almost two lakh people in Mumbai to a sudden halt. With the lockdown ensuring a move towards work-from-home, these Dabbawalas lost their source of livelihood, with many returning to their villages and unable to return since. Currently, a few Dabbawalas are working to bring in food to essential service workers. However, many others continue to struggle to make ends meet for their families.