The fate of the iron men
The children also help prepare the charcoal irons and ironing.
The iron men in India do a considerable job on the streets from early in the morning until the night hours. In extreme heat they use heavy and warm irons filled with hot coal which strengthen the high temperatures. They use coal iron to save electricity costs and on the street there is no power supply.
Their income is very modest and enables them to feed their families. During extremely strong monsoon rains, streets are flooded and water reaches a height up to the people’s knees which makes it impossible to work and consequently, the iron men do not earn money until work can be started again. Shree Om Babaji (Regd.) offers unbureaucratically financial help to affected families to overcome the loss of income easier and more relieved.
Their income is very modest and enables them to feed their families. During extremely strong monsoon rains, streets are flooded and water reaches a height up to the people’s knees which makes it impossible to work and consequently, the iron men do not earn money until work can be started again. Shree Om Babaji (Regd.) offers unbureaucratically financial help to affected families to overcome the loss of income easier and more relieved.
As the iron men work in the late evening hours, too the association provides solar led lamps to brighten up their work space. These lamps are very practical and they are consciously selected with solar cells due to the lack of power supply for electrical appliances on the streets.
So the iron men not only save electricity costs, they can do their valuable work at night, too if they like to.
Under a tent and in all weather conditions, the ironers usually work into the night.
If hope come true, it seems as if the fog clears out.
(Klemens Oberforster)