PATIENCE IS THE ESSENCE OF LIFE
Name: Gurbada Raita
Age: 62 years
Sex: Male
Village: Christopur
GP: Birikote

He was born with a disability. The Village Christopur is situated beside Adava Haravangi dam. The village is under the Birikote gram Panchyat, Mohana block of Gajapati district Odisha. 30 households of Soura Tribes live in this village and have a total 115 population. The history and some old grandparents are saying that “We have migrated to this village” due to search of their means of livelihood, they have settled in this place. They were depending on daily wase for their livelihood.
Mr. Gurubada Raita aged about 62 born in a poor family. He is a man born lame. His father’s name is late Rajan Raita and mother’s name is Ms late Zagidi Raita. The early couple had 3 sons and 1 daughter. Mr Gurubada Raita was the eldest son of the family. With much hardship and struggle the parents lead their family with a happy life. Though the parents were illiterate still they do not bother for their lives and livelihoods. Over a period of time both parents were affected by diseases and suddenly died. But at the same time Mr. Gurubada was 16 and two brothers and one sister were below the age. Difficult to manage the family. Who will take the responsibility and take care of these orphan children. By the way Mr. Gurubada was a person with disable, he promised to learn tailoring by seeing one tailor from Mohana. Then he struggles for the survival of his small brother and sister. The journey with a much painful and terrible condition led to life and family. After a year he married to one widow woman named Lebi Raita. They did not have children. Gurubada’s younger brother Isaya gave one son to his eldest brother to caring as own son. By the time Lebi died, when the step-son became young he got married. After one child the step-son also died. Mr. Gurubada, his younger sister, and daughter-in-law Rayal Raita with one child remains in a saddest situation. But Mr. Gurubada never left his courage and potentiality and passion as tailoring was his means of livelihood. He was earned verry less amount with the single and old sewing machine, it was not worked properly, so he never provided good quality to the customer. In this situation he was not able to get new one also.
The SWAD organization has intervened in this village in 2017 with agricultural activities. Then in the year of 2018 started with the NABARD support project. During the Capacity Building Phase of the project the organization conducted household assessment and he was landless and person with disabled. The community people identified him and planned to provide him sewing equipment for his livelihood. With the support of NABARD (WDF) funded by the watershed project finally, the SWAD organization provided the tailoring equipment (Sewing Machine with table, Scissor, Chair, Needle, Measurement equipment etc.) to Mr. Gurubada Raita. Now each day he earns Rs 500 to Rs 600 Rupees. Also, the widow’s Daughter-in-law got married to a young man. Now all the members of this family remain quite happy and joyful.
For the support of this tailoring machine all the family members acknowledge their gratitude with an earnest thanks to the whole SWAD family and watershed project. Mr Gurubada says “Jahara Kehi Nahi Tahara Prabhu Achhi” patience is must for survival and survival.