Food Security Among Women Living Alone: The Unseen Struggles

In rural India, food security is a daily struggle for many, but the challenges are even more pronounced for women living alone. Women like Bhabhani Mistri, a 51-year-old widow from Gobardhanpur, West Bengal, face overwhelming obstacles just to put food on the table. Her story is one of resilience, but it also raises critical questions about how women in similar situations fare in food security indicators.

The Struggle for Daily SurvivalFor Bhabhani, every day is a battle. With limited resources, she relies on the government ration system, which provides her with just two kilos of rice and one packet of flour—far from sufficient for a month’s survival. To make ends meet, she works in the fields and does odd jobs like laying bricks by the river. Despite her efforts, the income is barely enough to buy basic necessities.Water Supply: A Daily HardshipOne of the most pressing challenges Bhabhani faces is access to clean water. The only functional water supply is a tube well located some distance from her home. For someone living alone, especially at her age, fetching water daily is a daunting task. The situation worsens when she falls ill. Recently, when bedridden with fever for eight days, the only water she could drink was from a nearby pond—posing significant health risks and highlighting the dire need for better water accessibility.

Food Security Challenges Women like Bhabhani face numerous challenges:-

Limited Food Supply: The rationed food is not enough to meet basic nutritional needs. Women living alone often cannot afford to buy additional food, leading to a diet that is both insufficient and lacking in variety.

Poor Access to Resources: With no access to proper storage facilities, even the little food they manage to procure is often infested with pests, making it unsafe for consumption.

Health Risks: The constant exposure to harsh working conditions and inadequate nutrition puts their health at risk. Bhabhani herself suffers from diabetes, which restricts her ability to eat rice—her primary staple.

Isolation and Vulnerability: Living alone, Bhabhani is vulnerable not just to food insecurity but also to social isolation. When she was bedridden with fever for eight days, no one came to her aid, and she had to rely on unsafe pond water, underscoring the loneliness that exacerbates her struggles.

Outliers Like Bhabhani: The Need for Focused Solutions Bhabhani’s situation is not unique, yet she represents an outlier in the larger narrative of food security. Traditional food security measures often overlook women like her—widowed, living alone, and surviving on the margins. Samposhyam Foundation is working to bring these outliers into focus. We believe that addressing food security for women living alone requires targeted interventions, such as:

Improved Access to Nutritional Support: Ensuring that women like Bhabhani receive adequate and varied food supplies through ration systems and local support networks.

Community-Based Support Systems: Establishing community networks that can provide support during health crises, ensuring that no woman is left to fend for herself in times of need.

Improved Access to Clean Water: Advocating for better water supply solutions for women living alone, so they don’t have to risk their health by drinking unsafe water.

Advocating for Policy Changes: Pushing for policy changes that recognize and address the unique challenges faced by women living alone, particularly in rural areas where resources are scarce.

How Can We Help Women Like Bhabhani?

The road to food security for women like Bhabhani is fraught with challenges, but with the right support and policies, it is possible to create a safety net that ensures their well-being. What can be done to better support these outliers? Join us in advocating for policies that address the unique needs of women living alone and help us create a future where no one is left behind in the fight for food security.

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