Alagan’s parents, Meena and Mani, were living in a small village near Udumalpet. They were both illiterate and worked as daily wage laborers in the nearby construction site. Their income was barely enough to meet their daily needs, and they had to prioritize their expenses to survive each day.
Meena and Mani noticed that Alagan was not growing like other children his age. They could see the difference in the weight of their child compared to his peers, and his skin was developing rashes. Alagan’s hands and face were dry and itchy, and he was constantly scratching them.
One day, Meena and Mani found Alagan lying on the ground, tired and lacking energy, after playing with his friends in the village. They knew that something was seriously wrong with their child, but they had no idea what to do. They had no money to take him to a doctor and no knowledge of how to treat his condition.
Meena and Mani’s own health was also suffering. They were constantly working as construction laborers in the scorching heat of Udumalpet, barely making enough to survive. The stress of their financial situation and Alagan’s deteriorating health was taking a toll on them both. They felt helpless and alone, not knowing where to turn for help.
They lived in a close-knit community where everyone was poor, and they didn’t have any relatives who could lend them money. They were completely helpless and didn’t know what to do.
As time went on, Alagan’s condition worsened, and they could see that he was suffering. They could barely afford to feed themselves, let alone take him to a doctor. They felt hopeless and helpless, watching their child suffer and not being able to do anything about it…..continues