The Quint Impact: How Our Viewers Helped a Kulfi Seller Pay Off His Debt

The Quint raised 3 lakh for Satvir. Now he has a tubewell, a farmland and a steady source of income.

Journalism is not just about reporting a story, it is about what the story achieves.

(The Quint/Vibhushita Singh)

(Journalism is not just about reporting a story, it is about what the story achieves. Support The Quint's initiatives. Become a member. It will only take a minute.)

While reporting on the exodus of migrant workers at the Delhi-Noida border on 18th May 2020, The Quint’s Poonam Agarwal spotted Satvir with his family along with his 'kulfi' cart.

While talking to Agarwal, Satvir broke down, as he described how his business had collapsed and he was in no position to repay the loan of around Rs 40,000 that he had taken to buy the 'thela'.

The twenty-four-year-old was trying to cross into Uttar Pradesh with his wife and children when he was stopped at the Delhi-Noida border. After being made to wait for hours, he was allowed to enter but was asked to leave his 'kulfi ka thela' behind.

And just like that his only source of livelihood, his kulfi cart was taken away from him.

However, after watching The Quint's video on Satvir's ordeal, several of our readers and viewers came forward to help the kulfi-seller financially.

Support for Satvir poured in from all corners. He received over Rs 3 lakh as donations, not just from India but from the US, Australia and Singapore as well.

Satvir used the money to add a tubewell to his two bigha farm in his village in UP's Badaun, on which he grows a variety of vegetables. He was even able to rent more land to work on to further add to his income.

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