Sarojni Devi says the second wave of COVID-19 has driven her to despair.
She claimed that over the past few weeks, she has gone to bed hungry because there was not enough food to go around.
The Nausori Town beggar said the total lockdown last year was better than the containment measures being enforced this time around.
“I have three children at home and I don’t know what to feed them most times because during the current containment, people are unwilling to give money,” she said.
“Before this containment, I used to collect $20 to $30 a day and it was enough for my family.”
Ms Devi said the money she collected from begging, combined with the $50 per month in social welfare assistance was enough to feed and house her family.
“I have to pay electricity bills and $180 rent which is pending for this month, next month I have to pay for two months which will be too much for me.
A bag of rice and flour can last for a month, it’s just the curry we need to look for and when we have little curry, I just let my children have it while I go to bed,” the Koronivia, Nausori, resident said.
“Sometimes, I just eat boiled rice and sleep as long as my children eat well.”
Ms Devi said she applied for Government’s $90 M-PAiSA assistance and food rations but was unsuccessful.
