These are tough times. As the Covid-19 crisis looms to new proportions brining the world to standstill, leaving many shelter-less and jobless while disrupting medical aid to many patients, a diverse lot of individuals and organisations are working silently to help such vulnerable groups across the country, reinforcing the faith that not all is lost.
About 1,586 kilometers away from the national capital, Mohammed Shujatulah of Humanity First Foundation spends his days distributing food to the needy outside hospitals, orphanages and railway stations in Hyderabad. Shujatulah relies on crowd funding and individual donations to sponsor his charity work.
Similarly, many NGOs like KAB Welfare Foundation and Blood on Demand helpline (9266666666) from Giving is Living Foundation have been holding blood donation camps in Delhi and NCR region to ensure that patients suffering from Thalassemia and other blood disorders do not have to face difficulties in Covid-times. Blood transfusion is the main treatment for the persons afflicted with blood disorder.
Their representatives felt that at this time when there is huge shortage of blood due to lockdown following restriction on movement and donors scared of going hospitals amid Covid-19 scare, there should be a centralised venue like Indian Red Cross Society where donors can donate the blood and hospitals including those in private sector collect the blood.
GS Kapoor, Director of Giving is Living Foundation called for uniform blood processing and other
charges as has been done in the case with the test for Covid-19 test. Why should there be variation for such an important life saving product? he asked.
On the other hand, The Hans Foundation, a public charitable trust which
provides funding support to NGOs in the country has been reaching out to lakhs of migrants, poor, sick and
homeless and hungry people through its more than 350 NGOs in 26 states and union territories particularly in rural India.
On its part, Smile Train, the world's largest cleft organization, recently launched a digital campaign in India titled, #EndTheStigma, to create awareness around the stigma associated with COVID-19 while members of Inner Wheel District 301, New Delhi, a branch of International Inner Wheel, a global NGO has come forward to distribute packed food for 5 000 people at different slum areas in Delhi.
Then there are stories, of children donating their piggy banks for purchase of face masks and sanitisers, and for feeding masses who live on street, and of groups of
young volunteers distributing food and masks to needy, of old men donating their life savings towards improving health care infrastructure.
There are about 92,000 NGOs and many more individuals, some acknowleged by authorities but most of them working anonymously, who are trying to comfort millions battling pandemic and penury.
Individually, these strivings may not count much. Yet each one of them affirm the commitment to healing the ocean of humanity called India.
