Published 21:00 IST, October 19th 2020
Mumbai: 87-year-old man sells recycled bags he stitches himself, netizens encourage buying
Old man can be seen sitting happily and humbly in Mumbai’s Phadeke Road at Dombivali, beside him, a handful of colourful tote bags can be seen hanging.
In an inspiring story that depicts a journey of hard work and struggle despite old age, an 87-year-old street vendor in Mumbai was spotted selling recycled bags at a nook to his customers from Rs. 40 to Rs. 80. Known as Uncle Joshi, the elderly man, donning spectacles designed ladies’ handbags out of leftover cloth material that he purchased from curtain makers or the discarded synthetic cloth strands from sofa fabrics.
In a touché post, shared on Twitter by a woman named Gauri, the old man can be seen sitting happily and humbly on a spot in Mumbai’s Phadeke Road at Dombivali. Beside him, a handful of colourful tote bag collection can be seen hanging from a wooden bindle. Not just that, the old vendor is seemingly collecting a meagre payment from a customer who just then paid Rs. 60. In the post, Gauri informed that Uncle Joshi stitched these tote bags all by himself, further requesting people not to forget to buy at least 1 bag from him.
“I'm from Kolkata, I wish I could buy bags from uncle, respect,” a commenter wrote, appreciating the hard-working man. “Please help them,” another urged, acknowledging the man’s struggles. “Sell these bags as “recycled” big shoppers online and uncle can make a decent amount of money out of it. I hope someone can help him out. An FB id is enough to help him increase his sale. Thanks for posting about him here,” one other lady commented.
Heartily gesture to help ramp up businesses
In recent times, social media is being used productively to extend help for those in need by either promoting their struggling businesses or helping small establishments buried under the mounting financial constraints survive amid the COVID-19 pandemic. People, in a wonderful act of solidarity, have come together to support the vulnerable. Only last week, a local food joint by the name of "Baba Ka Dhaba” was flocked by residents to make food purchases after the old man and his wife burst into tears narrating their ordeal. Their shop had long been devoid of customers, and as the post circulated, people reached out to help the feeble couple in heartily gesture to help ramp up their business once again.
Updated 21:00 IST, October 19th 2020