Supporting the Emotional Wellbeing of children and caregivers affected by the second wave of COVID-19 pandemic

इस कैंपेन की हिंदी में जानकारी के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें।

Our collective challenge:

As we are all aware, the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic is proving to be extremely challenging for India owing to the severe nature of the virus and the challenges to secure medical facilities and supplies. In addition to this, we are also witnessing a second wave of mental health concerns as children and adults grapple with feelings of uncertainty, helplessness, anxiety, frustration, anger, loss, grief, depression, and trauma.

While the public is also experiencing heightened anxiety over acquiring COVID-19, research over the last year demonstrates that the mental health of certain groups is disproportionately affected. These include,

a) people testing positive for COVID-19

b) frontline workers and their family members

c) caregivers and family members of COVID-19 positive patients

d) low/ mid-income families experiencing increased economic vulnerability

e) children and adolescents who are witnessing this humanitarian crisis unfold while coping with significant disruptions to their education and in some cases, while doubling up as caregivers

There is an urgent need to provide adequate emotional wellbeing support to people during this second wave, also because it is well established that high levels of emotional distress have an adverse effect on one’s immune system.

Our intervention:

Since 2013, Apni Shala has been working on the social and emotional wellbeing of children, youth and adults in Mumbai’s government schools and underserved communities. To address the mental health concerns that people are experiencing due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Apni Shala is organising "online support groups" and implementing "call-based emotional check-ins", in the months of May and June 2021.

Project Details:

1. 13 Online Support Groups per week (for 8 weeks), estimated to provide emotional wellbeing support to 2000+ individuals (children and adults)

2. Phone call-based emotional check-ins (over the next 8 weeks), estimated to provide emotional wellbeing support to 1000+ individuals (children and adults).

This project will be implemented by Apni Shala’s program team that is trained to work with children, caregivers, and school/ NGO professionals, in the domain of social and emotional development and support.

Our impact:

During the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020-21, Apni Shala provided emotional wellbeing support to over 3000 students and 2700 adults (parents/ caregivers and staff members from government schools and NGOs), through its online support groups and call-based emotional check-ins. As described above, this project aims to provide emotional wellbeing support to 3000+ children and adults in the months of May and June 2021.

To learn more about Apni Shala’s COVID-19 relief work from last year, please visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJrhxfX2rqU

Thank you <3