Looking back… and forward…
By Chacko Jacob (catalyst at kanthari)
In India we have moved on to nationwide Lockdown 4.0 till the 31st of May. Under new slightly more relaxed rules, interstate and intrastate road travel; opening of markets and e-commerce; and even sports in stadia (without spectators) is allowed; all, of course, under certain conditions.
As we write the last daily blog in this series, we are grateful to all our readers and those who supported us to help kantharis provide relief to their beneficiaries and others.
Special thanks also to everyone who has contributed to this blog and to the translations of the same in German, Marathi (Madhu Raveendra, Anjali Kulkarni), Malayalam (Vyshna and Ajith) , Spanish and French (Fleur Rakoto).
A kanthari always looks beyond their own interest, is focused on bold solutions, and is always empathetic. kantharis all over the world sprang into action as the crisis hit, many with no regard for their own financial and physical needs, with one goal in mind: the most vulnerable will NOT be left behind.
Thanks to your donations and the kanthari emergency fund, we were able to support over 34 people and organisations, who impacted 2,500+ individuals: here a few examples:
Ragunath Veeravel, (Aaranya, India), an environmentalist, continues to support tribal communities, the aged homeless, and migrant workers. He is also supporting police volunteers, sanitation workers, security staff and junior medical assistants, among others in and around Pondicherry.
Gouri Shankar Mishra, (an-anya), Sadhana Nayak (Sadhan ISC) and Jyotshnarani Das (Janamangal) (all from Odisha, India) are supporting children, women, widows, disabled and migrant workers in a large area in Orissa.
Samuel Odwar (Thumbs up Academy, Uganda) supports disabled people in Gulu and other remote areas of Northern Uganda.
Omona Innocent (Lighta, Uganda) is supporting orphans of the AIDS crisis and women in Gulu by distributing soap, food items and spreading awareness on hygiene and social distancing.
Miatta Mulbah (LEEMAH, Liberia) is supporting sex-workers in 4 counties in Liberia with Hygiene kits, wash station installations and food care packages.
Ruang (Hinghoy Noi, Thailand) who fights cultural taboos, is providing sanitary napkins to girls and young women in Bangkok.
Lorena Acula (Future Vision, Philippines) is blind and supports blind students from remote islands so they can go to college/university in the Philippines. She is providing for the needs of the children under her care.
Arthanas Matongo (Waruka Sports Academy, Zimbabwe) who fights against early marriages and sexual abuse in the rural communities of Zimbabwe through providing them a career as female athletes. Currently he is providing the needy with food, soap, face-masks and sanitary napkins
Cavin Odera (WA-WA, Kenya), empowers women and teenage girls from fisher communities in Homa-bay County, Kenya, who due to “sex for fish” have become HIV positive and/or widows. WA-WA has provided emergency help to a group of beneficiaries who were affected due to the recent floods.
The future is still uncertain, with a spike in cases likely as lockdowns are relaxed or lifted altogether. Governments are now in the tough position of containing the virus vs. softening the blow of the humanitarian and economic crisis.
In many countries the worst is yet to come, our work in this regard will continue, and if you know of someone who can support, please ask them to do so.
We are looking ahead into an uncertain future, saddened by the toll on lives and livelihoods but hopeful of a new, more emphatic, and solidary society. A society that wants to join forces to tackle the inequity that remains glaring under the light of this pandemic.