You can boost their efforts by supporting them through donations
INDIA is dealing with a dual crisis as it fights corona and imposes a lockdown. As per official records, there are 42 crore or 420 million people who work in the informal sector as daily wage earners, street vendors, farm labourers, etc. A majority of them were already living a hand-to-mouth existence and are now suffering even more without livelihoods. With no money coming in, they are scrounging to feed themselves and families.
The government is operating community kitchens and giving free rations to the poor and homeless, but it’s not reaching everyone. To complement the state and central governments’ efforts countless NGOs along with volunteer groups are working tirelessly to provide food and other essentials to those in dire need. Here are a few non-profits who are at the forefront of the on-going relief efforts:
In India since 1951, Oxfam has responded to numerous humanitarian disasters but COVID-19 is their first pandemic. So far it has reached out to 40,50,000 (4.5 million) to create mass awareness about the disease, supplied dry rations to 8,000 households and provided 48,000 packets of cooked meals to migrant workers and the homeless across several states. Now, it is striving to reach out to 50,000 families with food, unconditional cash transfers, and PPE kits.
ActionAid Association India is part of ActionAid International that has a presence in over 40 countries. With vast experience in responding to emergency situations, this non-profit has responded to the current crisis by supporting the most vulnerable communities across 171 districts in 21 states. Over 87000 families have been provided dry ration, 57000 with sanitary and dignity kits and over 3,00,000 individuals have received cooked meals. Action Aid plans to deliver support material to 80,00,000 more people.
Goonj undertakes disaster relief, humanitarian aid and community development in parts of 23 states across India. In its COVID-19 relief mission, it has reached out to over 17,000 families and individuals with ration kits supported 12 community kitchens and distributed more than 77,000 cooked meals thus far. Beneficiaries include migrant labourers, tea garden workers, rag pickers, transgenders, sex workers, elderly and remote tribal villagers. It is also supporting old age homes, hospitals, settlements, etc with ration and personal care kits.
Known for its school lunch programme across India, Akshaya Patra has started a COVID-19 relief service. As of today, it has distributed 1,06,55,875 cooked meals & 4,12,231 grocery kits to people from low-income groups in Rajasthan, Karnataka, Telangana, Gujarat, Maharashtra, NCR, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Tripura and West Bengal.
Founded in 1983, Habitat for Humanity is one of the largest housing programmes in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, the team has been raising awareness on the importance of hygiene and supporting individuals and families by providing hygiene kits.
Ekam works to provide children with quality healthcare regardless of his/her financial means. Started in 2007, in its fight against the coronavirus, Ekam is helping government hospitals and medical colleges with quarantine wards meet the huge requirement for critical care items such as masks, surgical gloves, gowns, medical aprons, disposable goggles, hand washing liquid soap bottles, face-shield, etc.
These NGOs can do much more with your generous support through an online donation in this critical situation. You can make a big difference. Please join the movement to fight COVID-19 and ensure no one is left behind.
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Samar is a Marcoms specialist and freelance writer. She has a master’s in marketing and creativity from ESCP Business School. She is an avid traveller and likes to write about technology, travel, wildlife and sustainability.
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Pooja Singh
October 15, 2020 — 7:53 am
It’s really good to see the type of hard I peopple are doing against corona virus.