Rekha’s path to recovery
Living in one of Mumbai's most densely populated neighbourhoods, Rekha has spent her life holding her family together. But when illness struck, the cost of treatment threatened to unravel everything her family had worked for.
Today 47-year-old Rekha shares a single 3.6 x 3.6 metre room with her husband and four children. The space is divided into a tiny kitchen and a small bathing area. There are no toilet facilities; they are outside.
Life has never been easy for Rekha. She grew up in a hostel because her mother, raising four children alone, could not afford to keep them at home.
“My mother struggled a lot,” Rekha recalls. “She did everything she could for us.”
As an adult, Rekha carried that same sense of responsibility. She helped raise not only her own children but also her sister’s, caring for eight children under one roof. She worked tirelessly to keep the household running — paying rent, electricity, school fees, and daily expenses — often taking high-interest loans whenever a child fell sick.
But three years ago, Rekha’s own health began to fail. She developed serious liver and kidney problems, along with a weak heart. Walking became difficult. She could no longer ignore her own needs.
“I never imagined that falling sick would cost so much,” she says. “I didn’t know how I would manage.”
That’s when her sister told her about Opportunity International Australia’s local partner, Uplift Mutuals, who offer financial solutions to help families living in poverty access loans, insurance and local care at a reduced price.
Rekha contacted Vanita, an Uplift staff member, who guided her through the process of applying for a low-interest health loan. Within two days, her paperwork was complete.
“The relief I felt was unbelievable,” Rekha says. “I could never have arranged a loan so quickly on my own.”
With the loan, Rekha accessed the treatment she urgently needed. Uplift’s doctors checked on her regularly, and Vanita continued to call and support her through her recovery.
Today, Rekha pays her loan back monthly, at a fraction of what she would have paid to local lenders. She has also begun saving through Uplift and encourages others in her community to seek help when they need it.
“When we fall sick, we cannot manage hospital expenses along with daily life,” said Rekha. “But with Uplift, we can get treatment without fear.”
Her greatest wish remains unchanged: “I want my children to study well, become good people, and build a better future. I don’t want them to face the struggles we faced.”