Champa lives near a railway station in suburban Mulund in Mumbai, with her five grandchildren.
Champa, 70, has been living on the road with her four grandchildren outside a train station in Mulund in Eastern Mumbai. They sleep on the pavement; meals are rare.
Till a month ago, Champa used to live in a hutment with her daughter, son-in-law and their two sons and two daughters. When her daughter died due to an illness, Champa's son-in-law, who supported the family by working as a labourer, disappeared.
Champa was forced to leave the family's hut with her grand-children.
Social worker Kumud Mishra met Champa and has been tweeting about her with photos. <a href=" https://twitter.com/tweetkumud/status/545293983438499840 " rel="nofollow" target="_blank">(See her tweet)</a> Champa says if she takes refuge in a government shelter for homeless women, she will be separated from her grandchildren, which is unacceptable.
"I don't want the kids to beg. I want them to study. I want them to stay safely in a home," she says.
"I used to pass by this road and I noticed she was the only woman who did not allow the children to beg. I offered her money but she refused saying she did not encourage them to beg," said Ms Mishra to NDTV. She says though people have contacted her pledging help for Champa, so far, no money has been received.
"Mumbai has a huge heart and if they want to help the task will be really easy," the social worker said.
Mumbai's burgeoning street population is an issue that successive governments have failed to address. According to a survey by an NGO last year, over 50,000 people live on the streets in Mumbai. Activists claim that figure is much higher.
How You Can Help ChampaIf you would like to help Champa, you can get in touch with social worker Kumud Mishra at
<a href="mailto:kumudmishra28@gmail.com"> kumudmishra28@gmail.com</a>.Note: This information has been provided/published on a good faith basis, without any commercial motive. NDTV does not vouch for the authenticity of the claims made by the intending donee, nor can we guarantee that the donations made by a donor will be used for the purpose as stated by the intending donee. You are requested to independently verify the contact information and other details before making a donation. NDTV and/or its employees will not be responsible for the same.