SUPPORT TO NEEDY RURAL POPULATION DURING COVID-19 SITUATION

A quick assessment of the ground reality in the villages where WOTR is working tells us of the stress that rural communities are going through during the worldwide pandemic outbreak of COVID -19.

What has become clear is that with summer, there is little work in the fields. Most migrants and the households that did not cultivate the Rabi (Winter) crop are unable to find work locally. The number of needy and vulnerable people (landless, single parent, disabled, the sick, aged etc.) and migrants who have returned is large. Assistance with food, health care and crucial items such as soap, masks etc., is urgently required where government help has not reached them or is insufficient.

For this purpose, we have decided to set up a "WOTR COVID-19 Fund" to support these affected people.

We propose to support 12,000 families from 620 villages from 44 blocks of 22 districts of 7 states in India (Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Rajasthan and Telangana)

The Support Packages include the following:

Supply of Grocery Items: The community needs supply of Dal, Oil, Potato, Onion, salt, spices, etc. It is proposed to supply one grocery kit for a family (comprising of 5 persons) which would be sufficient for a fortnight (15 days). The cost of one kit is Rs. 1050 and has the following items in it:

Moong Dal- 2 kg, Turmeric-100 gm, Dry masala- 200 gm, Dry chilly, Soybeans- 400 gm, Potato- 6 kg, Onion- 2 kg, Cooking oil- 2 litre, Biscuits- 10 pkt, Harabhara- 1 kg, Salt- 1 kg, Match box (3) and Candle box (2)

Sanitization Kit: Looking at the absolute need for  cleaning hands, it is important that the families get a family sanitization kit. One kit contains 5 face masks, 4 bathing soap bars, clothes washing detergent (250 gm) and can last for 15 days. The cost of one kit is Rs. 200.

Supply of Medicines: The people also need a stock of some medicines for headaches, stomach pain, diarrhea, fever, cold, etc. The cost of one medicine kit for a village is Rs. 1000 and  can last for one fortnight. This kit will be with the village animator (Wasundhara Sevak / Sevika) who has been  given basic training.

Awareness and Alertness: Hand washing and personal hygiene demonstrations will be conducted in every corner of the villages. Information on the symptoms of Covid-19, precautionary measures and actions to be taken if the symptoms are seen in somebody will be transmitted through these gatherings. While doing these demonstrations, a social distance of 1 meter will be maintained between every person. A special class will be taken for children in the village on Covid-19 and behavioral changes required in personal hygiene. One person in the village will be given responsibility for making daily announcements on the Corona related happening in the vicinity and social distancing.

Facilitating Access to Entitlements:  The government has announced benefits and schemes for the poor and affected people such as cash transfers, enhanced food rations and starting of the MGNREGA scheme. We will facilitate access to these in the target villages

1. The vulnerable rural families will get nutritious food and will be able to survive in the present situation.
2. The rural population will be able to understand the importance of health care, personal hygiene and the precautionary measures to fight against the COVID 19
3. The rural population will be able to access the government schemes as our team will help the villagers to access the MGNAREGA and other govt. schemes.