One Quarter into the Pandemic and as the world is battling to flatten its curve, we are rising numbers and marking a new peak every 48 hours in the number of cases. The lockdown has impacted the lives of many especially the poor. Inaccessibility to markets in the initial Lockdown period and no daily wages has led to an acute shortage of food materials in the poor households which are now being tried to reach out to in the form of welfare schemes that have been announced. The economy has been affected with the entire supply chain management getting hit hard and is trying to cope up with the recent set of relaxations that the government in India has delivered in its protocols.

The migrant workers and the destitute aged persons are the worst sufferers during the COVID 19 onslaught and the successive lockdown. Partners in South Zone have reached out the neediest migrant workers and the destitute aged persons who find it very difficult to sustain their livelihood amidst severe economic difficulties. By identifying the target people and extending the needed help to them alleviate their sufferings considerably. Caritas India, with support of 84 DSSS and non-DSSS partners and Forum partners in the South Zone, have reached out 64,86,804 people out of which 5,79,099 are migrants, by providing psychosocial support, hygiene kits, dry ration, cooked food through community kitchens, face masks, and through many other ways.

In a first the Supreme Court of India [1]has appreciated “Non-governmental organisations coming forward to help the migrant workers and to fight the pandemic and extend help by providing food, water and transportation at their cost which deserves all appreciation,” the bench said in its 30-page order by which it also directed all states and Union territories (UTs) to transport all the stranded workers to their respective destinations by train, bus or other mode within 15 days from today.

Now, the focus is rapidly moving beyond immediate relief and to prepare the larger population to plan for the future towards the new normal. Most of them have lost their jobs and some are not planning to migrate back to the cities which disowned them. In such a scenario, it becomes essential to support them in planning for their livelihood for a long-term community centric sustainability. Every region has come up with innovative ideas and strategies as per their context to support the various communities and to restart their lives.

Preventive Activities

The positive change that has slowly started to sync in and emerge in the communities is the cooperation of the community towards the initiatives taken by the respective DSSS partners of Caritas India. It is good to know that all the sustainable program initiated by the DSSSs are driven from the continuous query from the community. For an instant, Santhwanam, DSSS partner[2], Thrissur, Kerala, has initiated vegetable mart for community. People access the mart for purchasing organic vegetables. Likewise, all the DSSSs have their own innovative manner to sustain the life of people during this pandemic situation. Another area of interventions is majorly around monsoon preparedness. All the DSSSs have come up with certain initiatives in association with DISASTER CLINICS like distribution of leaflets on monsoon precaution. The creation of posters under monsoon preparedness by the DSSS is need of the hour.

Many Partners have ventured into stitching Face Masks through Micro Enterprises of SHGs all over India, its one of the widely started initiative and running successfully due the demand and supply during the pandemic. This initiative if “MASKALL” by Caritas India and her Partners has been helping a lot in the preventive mechanism of COVID 19.

Many migrants, on their arrival, have been quarantined as a precautionary step by the government. The DSSSs have extended their support in providing cooked food to such centres. The partners have also been checking on the health and hygiene of the inmates at the centres. Some of the partner organizations have also supported the migrants by providing them food kits. All these facilitation and support are been given keeping in mind the guidelines and protective measures as laid out by the Govt.

Strengthening the Health System

Awareness on the Intake of protein and vitamins rich locally available fruits, vegetables, food grains, taking the siddha and herbal medicines for getting cure from day-today illnesses and diseases etc has helped the people to stay fit and healthy. Reduction in the intake of junk food and unwanted bottled drinks helped the people to remain fit and to save a considerable sum of money in their monthly budgets. As an example one of Caritas India’s partners Kumbakonam SSS, Tamil Nadu, helped 30 babies with Immuno-nutrient supplements and they are associating with Transport department by deputing 5 volunteers for thermal scanning bus passengers before they board the buses.

A partner in J&K UT of Caritas India, CSSS[3] were the first ones to follow the norms and initiate the process of providing PPE Kits to Health Institutions with the support of the District Administration.

Networking and Partnership

Newer Collaborations with Institutions through the reach of Webinars has been on the rise to ensure an exchange of learning and practice for all of us. Caritas India has initiated over 10 Webinars and several Virtual Meetings that has exponentially helped everyone be connected and communicate with each other. The Psychosocial Support Mechanism has helped network with various experts as volunteers to ensure support for the distressed. The networking and partnership with different stakeholders in Government and Non-Government organizations accelerate the process of reaching out the neediest persons and extending all-round support to the people in dire need. Many stakeholders feel that this type of networking and partnership should continue for the benefit of the target people. District administration and other government institutions like panchayats, municipalities, corporations and police department were used for the networking and partnership to reduce the impact of COVID 19 pandemic situations in their respective areas. IAG is a productive tool for the hand in hand cooperation of the DSSSs with the government institutions. In an exemplary action of Partnership, one of Caritas India’s Partner handholding between different line departments and the non-government organizations enhanced the understanding to know each other’s work and reach. Perambalur Social Service Society in Kumbakonam Diocese, in collaboration with Vicar Forane of Perambalur, has helped 98 Sri Lankan Refugee Families with dry ration materials in the presence of  Tahsildar and Revenue inspector of Perambalur.

Community Support Talking about migrants, women, children, PWD, old and elderly

Partners have extended their help to the quarantined migrants in providing cooked food to the centers in collaboration with the state governments. Likewise, feeling the pain of migrants on the road travelling with lot of difficulties, some of the partners have come out in their support by serving them cooked food and refreshments. DSSSs are giving more importance to Children, PWD, and Old and elderly. Since the monsoon is nearby, it may result in the rapid increase of Covid19 among these mentioned groups. Hence, activities like health promotion and awareness are bit more focused on these groups.

[1] https://www.cnbctv18.com/legal/supreme-court-says-ngos-deserve-appreciation-for-helping-migrants-during-covid-19-pandemic-6103061.htm

[2] http://kssfktm.com/welcome/index.php

[3] https://csssjk.org/