Bengaluru: To help others at one’s own cost is not an easy job. And it is heartening to note that there are several selfless souls who put their own lives at risk to help others. 

Relu Vasave is one such soul in Nandurbar, Maharashtra. She is an anganawadi worker. 

She rows a boat for 18 long kilometres to reach tiny hamlets across river Narmada. 

The people living in these hamlets do not have access to nutritious food. Children living here become the greatest victims if they don’t get their hands on such food. That is the reason Renu undertakes this hardship. 

And after rowing that long a distance, she treks and provides supplements and baby weighing machines to the families on that side of the river. 

But it is not an easy task for this tribal woman. She has to take up this endeavour after finishing her daily work in the morning. Later, in the afternoon, she starts her journey in the boat. She rents this boat from local fishermen. 

Renu is an accomplished swimmer. She doesn’t fear the river. 

She says, “They are small kids. That is why I take this effort to deliver food to the families. I travel for 2 hours to get the food. Then it takes 1 more hour to reach the kids," as quoted by India Today. 

Her husband is all praise for his wife. “We pack nutritious food for the children. My wife puts it in her boat and then delivers it to the kids. She goes to every remote area. She rows the boat for this purpose.” 

Her selfless work has also earned praises from the Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray. 

It is people like her who deserve encomiums for the selfless work they do for the society.