COVID 19: Relief work undertaken

Covid 19 and the lockdown have held down the vulnerable communities further with the chains of poverty. With the lack of systemic support, loss of work, wages, increased hunger and uncertainty, the country also witnessed migrant workers walk back home over days. However, we also saw many individuals and institutions collaborate and take a pro-active role in supporting and aiding the labour force. 

Situation across the districts have been worsening, as positive cases are being identified. Within days green zones have turned red with a complete seal-down, challenging communities, relief workers and administration and affecting most marginal daily wage workers and the poor and sexuality minorities. 

The districts have faced challenges at various stages of relief work but through their perseverance and determination they ensured that relief is reached to those in need and in time. This journey has been testing from a logistical as well as an emotional point of view. 

Procuring dry ration and reaching communities during seal downs has been unpredictable. Identifying and reaching out to several wholesalers and ensuring quality and reasonable prices was not a day's task. Aside from that, with increasing cases, teams have had to change their plans at the last minute several times. There were many instances, where the relief members were not allowed into localities as the areas were barricaded due to fear. Despite all this, the relief teams managed to reach ration to families who were in dire need by navigating seal downs, high temperatures of North Karnataka, while some relief workers observed fast on the occasion of Ramazan. A common experience that was shared by the teams was that when the families received dry ration, their eyes welled up with tears and they gave the team blessings, that touched the entire team and motivated them.