When I was younger and before I had even been to India, my Mother used to tell me that her sister (my Aunty) lived in a one bedroom flat in Bombay. To be honest (and with regret) it did not mean a lot to me then as I had not yet met or seen my Aunty (Masi) or seen her flat.

My Aunty lost her husband at an young age and then her son passed away several years ago. (The son was the breadwinner in the family). My Aunty and her daughter-in-law now carry out some low paid sewing machine work from the flat.

The first time that I met Masi and saw her one room flat was in 1999 and I was invited to stay over. I stayed for 5 nights along with her son and his wife (Bhabhi), it was a very humbling experience and one that I still remember to this day.

Apart from the outside communal toilets, every single aspect of living is done in this one bedroom flat, be it the:

* Morning bathing - with a bucket bath.

* Brushing teeth

* Prayers

* Cooking.

* Eating breakfast, lunch or dinner.

* Washing clothes

* Washing up of cutlery

* Ironing

* Working from home (sewing)

* Watching TV

* Socialising

* Storage of clothes, dry foods, work materials

* Storing of cooking & eating utensils such as pots, pans & plates

* Space for a fridge / freezer

* Space for a sewing machine

* Space for a wardrobe

* Sleeping & all the required bedding.

Having visited her again in 2012 & 2017 I was even more humbled (when I met my Masi and saw her flat again) largely because of my maturity and life experiences here in the U.K.

I want to raise some money; simply to give to her and say to her "do what you want to do with it to ease your life a little".

I recently uploaded a YouTube video which I hope articulates her situation more than words can, here's a link to that video titled "My Aunty's one room Mumbai apartment where she has lived for 55 years in Bombay, Maharashtra, India": https://youtu.be/4Kj8L0kdSFg

I humble myself when I think of my Aunty, May God Bless my Masi!!!