Relief materials were distributed to 300 no. vulnerable families in different areas of the Bankura Municipality, sponsored by ATC, India, & CINI, West Bengal. Our volunteers distribute the materials containing food items, soap, masks, and sanitizers, etc following the norms of social distancing, washing their hands before and after distribution, wearing masks. We are thankful to Local MLA, Sm. Shampa Daripa and others for cooperation.
COVID– 19 in India has deprived many poor families of their income as they are allat home in lockdown situation. It is observed that many children are becomingmalnourished and lactating mothers also sleep without food as a result immunepower are gradually reducing. To combat with the situation, 500 Packets ofNutrition Supplement “Nutrimix” was distributed to children, pregnant andlactating mothers in different locations of Bankura town from 10tht to 12 th ofMay 2020 with the help of local ICDS workers.
The availability of Sanitary Napkin in rural areas is most affected.Consumers who could access products at block or district level markets also areunable to do so due to lack of public transport and mobility restrictions underlockdown. A major number of adolescent girls from low-income households dependon school-based supply of menstrual hygiene products. And with schools closingdown, those girls and their female family members now don't have access tosanitary pads.
Considering the importance and necessity of these 500packets ofSanitary Napkin distributed to the adolescent girls in Jhalda, Purulia.
When the year 2020 facedthe most dangerous pandemic COVID-19 worldwide, the waved reached India alsowith more misery to the rural people of this country. To prevent the transitand spread of the virus, the government had to declare the countrywide lockdown.But the poor and marginalized people of rural India faced a huge problem due tothis, as they merely had any significant savings or alternative way of earning.The scenario was not different for Purulia district of West Bengal.
But the worst part of thepicture was, the miserable condition of the people of such areas were neverhighlighted with importance in the media and thus their problems and miserieswere out of sight for a long time. In this situation, some welfareorganisations came forward understanding the real need of the hour and tried toreach to people with funds and reliefs. Such was the initiative by the CareIndia and the Coca Cola Foundation.
The Care India and theCoca Cola Foundation made a noble collaboration to raise relief funds and standbeside families in need. Supporting this cause in its ground levelimplementation was the Purulia District Agragami Mahila o Sisu Mangal Samiti(PDASMS). To do this, a intense survey and background check was done toidentify the most needy households. PDASMS performed the case in majorly fourareas which were Jhalda-I, Jhalda-II, Jaypur and Jhalda Municipality. In atotal of 115 villages from these areas, 1000 households were selected fordistribution of this dry food ration kit. A total of 5943 people were reachedthrough this directly.
In different days,several public representatives and government officials were present during thedistribution process of COVID-19 ration kit. BDO of Jaypur Block, BiswajitBiswas, Block Sabhapati Bindu Karmakar, Jhalda Municipality’s administratorPradip Karmakar, Pradha of Iloo Jargo GP’s Prakash Mahato and SDO of JhaldaSub-division Sri Susanta Kumar Bhakta were present while performing the nobleduty towards the society in this pandemic situation. Ex MLA Dhirendra NathMahato was also present in several occasions.
In the beneficiaries, there were not only poor and marginalized people, but many of them werephysically disabled, widowed or extremely old. PDAMSMS grant themselves luckyfor getting such opportunity to stand beside these people. The beneficiariesthanked the Care India and the Coca Cola Foundation for their outstandinginitiative and not forgetting the, when the whole world went into isolation.