Unless you are someone who thoroughly enjoys the sedentary life of a recluse, caged within the four walls of your home, last year was perhaps the worst year of this century. Children missed their first day at school and then for months their classroom experience. A virtual make-belief world of primary days was painted, and they believed it. Senior students missed the experience of board exams, first day of college, the canteen adda. Most devastating was the rise in the number of school drop-outs. Education systems around the globe were severely disrupted.

“At the peak of the crisis, UNESCO data showed that over 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries were out of school.” — One year into COVID-19 education disruption: Where do we stand? - UNESCO

As for the grown-ups, many faced the impact of COVID-19 in the harshest way possible: job cuts or loss of business. In my previous blogs, I reached out to readers who were desperately looking for hope, ideas, motivations, and a light in the darkness. If any of the blogs have positively impacted someone, even if that is one person, I shall consider my labours fruitful.

Don’t give up. The call to say “it’s over” lies with you and not with that letter of termination or eviction. If you can start once, then you can start again. If Ranu Yadav can make it, so can you.

Ranu Yadav walked into the VFS branch in Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh, near her village, to take a loan. That was last year. With the COVID-19 lockdowns, the year turned out to be bad for most of us. But women like Ranu knew how to turn it into their favour. The year started with bad news for Ranu, from losing relatives to the coronavirus pandemic to suffering financial loss. Her husband saw his income shrink as sales of his business dried up. The couple considered mortgaging Ranu’s gold jewellery at the local pawnshop. Like many pawnshops, this one, too, was notorious for duping people.

Although the need was pressing, the couple did not let their desperation get the best of them. They looked out for other means of a real income, with Ranu’s husband calling up relatives near and far for distributorships or partnerships. But even that entailed the question of capital. There were many opportunities, but the couple lacked the means to seize them.

The search went on for two months. Their five-year-old son waited to start school. While many of his friends did join the online classes, Ranu’s son stayed behind as the virtual class would require devices and internet connectivity, which meant mounting expenses.

Their neighbour opposite their house was looking for a tenant for a shed. Ranu knew that something needed to be done. Her only source of strength was her belief in herself and her conviction in turning things around. And this made all the difference.

Ranu was aware of the presence of the VFS branch in Itarsi, although she had never been to a bank. She decided to give herself a chance. With her identity papers, Ranu made her way to the VFS office. The rest was taken care of with the right assistance and proper guidance.

A week later, the VFS office called her with the good news: her loan application had been approved, and the money was soon in her new bank account. All she now needed was to negotiate the rent of the shed with the teacher. She was prepared with a map of her entrepreneurial journey. The shed soon became her kirana, and soon her verandah became the makeshift classroom for her son.

As Ranu nears the first anniversary of her kirana, she reflects how one year of hardship prepared her for a future of financial stability. Last year was perhaps the worst year, but that doesn’t mean that this year will be the same. The decision to turn it around lies with us.