“Aid helped me restart life,” says a returnee migrant worker “I was clueless about what to do while returning from Kuwait. But now, I am not. The aid has helped me to restart my life...” These were the words of 44-year-old Rajesh Kumar, a returnee migrant in the South Indian state of Kerala, about the aid allotted to him by TSSS. "If TSSS didn't give me Rs60,000 to start the grocery shop...then I don't know what would have I done...," Rajesh said. The Kerala-based Trivandrum Social Service Society (TSSS), a non-governmental organization, was helping those struggling to make ends meet after returning from the Arab Gulf following Covid19 crisis-led job loss. The TSSS is an associate of the Centre for India Migrant Studies, a partner organization of the Migrant Forum in Asia. For 15 years, Rajesh worked as a lift technician in Kuwait. And while returning, he was earning around Rs40,000. In November 2020, he was diagnosed with a high fever. He got hospitalized. However, his health worsened, and the medics advised him to travel back to India for advanced treatment. He was a diabetic too. His friends requested a six-month leave with the company management. Unfortunately, the company management denied it and said, "he can resign and leave." "Unwell and shattered, I returned. The company cheated me too. Without my presence, the company calculated the end-of-service as Rs300,000 when I was eligible for Rs800,000. I didn't have time and health to fight...I returned shattered," the 44-year-old Rajesh said. Returning home, he got admitted to the hospital. After months of treatment, I returned to life. However, I was diagnosed with cancer. "As I became sick, I was unable to do hard labor. But I needed revenue as there are two children to be taken care of, and as I stay in a joint family, I have to share the expenses too," Rajesh said. "It was then I heard of TSSS' help. They gave me Rs60,000. Adding more money, I started a grocery shop...," Rajesh said. "The shop is going well. It is helping to meet my family expenses...," Rajesh said while thanking TSSS for the help. 3