Photo of burqa-clad Lucknow woman who carries Swiggy backpack goes viral Lucknow: Rizwana, a middle-aged woman from Lucknow would do the household chores while her husband used to drive a rickshaw. Three years ago, thieves stole the rickshaw leaving Rizwana's husband disappointed. Unable to cope with the loss, Rizwana's husband disappeared one-day leaving Rizwana to fend for herself and also look after the couple's three daughters and a son.
Rizwana, a resident of Janatanagari Colony in Lucknow, however, did not lose heart in the face of the trial. Three years down the line, Rizwana is managing to look after her four children and is an inspiration to housewives. Recently, a photo showing Rizwana carrying a backpack went viral on social media. In a special conversation with ETV Bharat, Rizwana spoke about her struggle after her husband went missing, and the challenge of taking care of the children.
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Rizwana clarified that she is not working as a delivery woman for Swiggy nor has Swiggy contacted her for any job. She said that after her husband disappeared, she needed some work to raise the children. So she started to sell items as a hawker. Rizwana needed a backpack and bought the bag with Swiggy written on it for Rs 50, she said.
As she set out to sell the items in a veil, people noticed her and started to click her pictures while selling the items. In one of the viral pictures, Rizwana is seen carrying the backpack on the road leading to Nadwa College in Lucknow. Rizwana's house is a 10 ft by 10 ft room by a 2 ft street. Rizwana is working hard to raise her children.
She said that initially when she went out with the bag, she overheard people asking whether she was begging or doing her work. “I didn't even know when my photo went viral. Later, a slipper seller told me that my photo has gone viral,” Rizwana recalled. She further said that she does the odd job solely to educate her children in absence of her husband.
“I am trying to educate my children and make them worthy in society, she said. Rizwana said after her husband disappeared, they searched for him for several days, but could not find him. Rizwana said that besides working as a hawker during the day, she also works at a house in the morning. Rizwana walks for about three hours a day carrying the backpack to sell items to make a few bucks.
