These transgender people aim to become Covid warriors

Vadodara: Some years ago, he had a cushy government job in Orissa. But Benudhar Behera, a transgender, had to quit his job as he faced workplace harassment due to him being a third gender. But he has now decided to become a Covid warrior and serve those in need amid the pandemic.
“After quitting my job in 2012, I left for Mathura as I was completely clueless about how to deal with my life as a transgender. After spending some years as a vagabond, I came in contact with Lakshya Trust, which is based in Vadodara and shifted here four months ago,” said 39-year-old Behera said. He then decided to give a new direction to his life and become a Covid warrior. “I took up this course offered by Deepak Foundation to learn the skills of caring for patients and management of Covid cases. I will soon join an institution that would help me in serving Covid patients,” Behera told TOI. Like him, eight other transgender persons are also pursuing the Home Health Aide course that is being offered by Deepak Foundation since last five years.
But this year for the first time they decided to integrate transgender persons with the other students. “Our aim is to bring transgender community into the mainstream and offer them livelihood too.
“This course includes identification of signs and symptoms of Covid, use of antigen testing kits, pulse oximeter and orientation to management of Covid-19. The students are also taught palliative care and counseling in mental health cases,” said Archana Joshi, director, Deepak Foundation.
“I was involved in lot of social work during my stay at Noida and hence I decided to become a Covid warrior and serve people,” said Parvati Nair, another transgender from Vadodara. She did her schooling in the city and then shifted to Kerala for graduation before taking up a job in Dubai.
“I returned to India five years ago and joined a private company in Noida. But last year I lost my job during the lockdown. I always wanted to serve the needy so I decided to take up this course and become a Covid warrior,” Nair added.