Ronita Sharma Rekhi and her husband with their daughter
Guwahati, May 17: The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown up unlikely heroes, each crucial in their own ways to face the uncertainty of the current times and wade out the gloominess surrounding it.
One such person bringing some succour is Ronita Sharma Rekhi, who has stepped forward to offer all-important breast milk to infants whose mothers have been detected with COVID 19 or have lost their battle to the virus. Nursing a two-month herself, she has reached out through social media to people in need of breast milk for their infants due to the COVID-19 situation.
"One day, while I was feeding my child, I read a request for breast milk for a newborn who had lost his mother to the pandemic, but it was from Delhi. And that is when I thought how I can be of some help in these trying times and the only thing I can do right now is nurse or donate my breast milk." Settled in Mumbai as a celebrity and production manager, Ronita and her husband Mohsin Rekhi had come to her native town Guwahati in March to have their first child as the number of COVID-19 cases increased there. They also run a family vlog on YouTube, sharing day-to-day life.
Though she has received only one request so far from a mother who is having lactation problems, Ronita said she has received tremendous encouragement in her endeavour.
"What I thought as a small initiative has actually now been inspiring a lot of new mothers and has also been appreciated. In my heart, I would never want this situation, but since this is upon us, we have to pitch in every way we can," she added.
She urged other new mothers to join her initiative and help any child in need, in whatever way possible. Identifying media as an important partner in this attempt, Ronita added, "Earlier, I was hesitant to talk to the media, but my husband, my brother and my friends made me see that through media, I can reach more and more new mothers to come out and support and help our children in need."
