In the current COVID outbreak, many CSOs have come forward in support of the Government to reach out to the people in need. Caritas India’s partners also approached the respective District Administrations and sought permissions for relief distribution along with vehicle pass.

With the support of Caritas India and contribution from the dioceses, the three partners in the North-East, namely Imphal, JHDS Jowai, and DAN Nagaland carried out relief distribution and extended all support to the District Administration and the State Government. The relief response carried out by them was acknowledged and appreciated by their respective Deputy Commissioners (DC). The partners were given recognition letters by the DCs declaring them to be the Nodal Agency/NGO for COVID response in their respective districts and states. DAN has been declared as a nodal agency for Nagaland state to coordinate with all the Church institutions. Similarly, DSSS Imphal is responsible for Manipur and JHDS for Meghalaya.

The three partner organisations are well-connected with the Deputy Commissioners, Police Department, Social Welfare Department, Health Department, Labour department, KVK, and other departments in their respective areas. Their promptness and efforts in the previous disasters also had been well appreciated both by the common people and the Government. Fr. Biju Lukose, the Director of DSSS Imphal expressed his satisfaction saying, “Altogether we have reached out to 8 districts covering 3986 families from 46 villagers with food provisions, sanitizers, and masks. As convener of Inter-Agency Group of Manipur we are also coordinating with all the NGOs, different Churches, and govt agencies. Thanks to Caritas India for financial support for COVID response and other development programs for Manipur state”.

As Nodal Agencies, they are responsible for the following:

1. To create awareness about prevention, hygiene, social distancing, isolation and combating stigma.
2. To extend support for distribution of PPE and Protective Provisions, such as sanitizers, soaps, masks, gloves etc for community workers and volunteers.
3. To support government and local administration in filling gaps in routine delivery of public health care and promoting hygiene measures.
4. To provide volunteers to supply food to the Quarantine Homes.
5. To arrange for the logistics in the Church institutions to be used as quarantine homes.
6. To organize coordination meeting with govt and NGOs
7. To report to District Administration of the activities on a regular basis

Fr. Manbha, the Director of JHDS expressed, “First of all I feel very happy and thankful to God.  It is a moment of great achievement for JHDS and the Catholic Church. I feel satisfied that at last people recognized the hard work and effort that the church has done via JHDS to the society. I feel very grateful to the staff, management, supporters, volunteers, and well-wishers who have tried their best in carrying out their respective roles. Continued support of Caritas India has led us to this stage”. Fr. Charles, the director of DAN, also echoed on the same lines, “Being Nodal agency gives me the happiness of being recognized as a reliable agency for service to humanity. It also invites for greater commitment and responsibility”.

This recognition surely comes as motivation and encouraging factor to the partner organisations and Caritas India as it gives an affirmation that our efforts are not going in vain. Our approach of initiating dialogue with the duty bearers, as per the current Strategic Plan, has surely started showing its results. One more feather has been added in our cap, still more to go.