Acts That Matter
Covid Relief Programme
The outbreak of the covid-19 virus since 2020 across the globe has completely changed the way humankind as a whole perceives life on earth. The first wave baffled our minds that it took us a while to wrap our heads around the fact that a tiny virus can cause a horrific number of deaths in the technologically-driven 21st century. The second wave hit us so hard that we had to face the harsh reality of dealing with the shortage of oxygen, a crucial life-giving entity.
In our country, a large section of society struggled with problems like unemployment, hunger, malnourishment, lack of shelter and primary necessities. Poor people lost their menial jobs, were pushed to the streets and did not even have a meal a day. They were also facing many additional health issues and were unaware of the magnitude of the pandemic. Daily wage labourers were hugely affected since the beginning of the pandemic and the situation worsened for them in the second wave. It became an unfathomable challenge to support their family amid the crisis.
Another part of the society that was severely affected consisted of differently-abled people and cancer patients, who found it difficult and nearly impossible in some extreme conditions to acquire treatment and medication consistently as hospitals were overflowing with covid patients. Access to healthcare and other resources became scant. The suffering was so devastating for our finite minds to comprehend.
At this juncture, Catherine Hope Foundation came together as a strong passionate unit of volunteers and donors to be a ray of hope for so many people. During such unsafe and dangerous times, our team defied the odds through grace and put forth their best efforts to support people through provisions, food packets, awareness programs, covid relief kits and many more such relief works.
We at Catherine Hope Foundation believe in empowering people and helping them lead a wholesome life. We are distributing dry ration to the downtrodden people on a regular basis. We identify differently abled people, cancer patients, daily wage earners who have lost their jobs and other people living on the streets and support them with dry ration kits. This kit consists of rice, pulses, oil, sugar, salt and other provisions needed for a month. Other than the differently abled people, we also supported daily wage earners who have lost their source of income due to the nationwide lockdown induced by the pandemic. relationship with them. Wherever we went, the people that we met and the stories that we heard were heartbreaking. - Grocery distribution for disabled daily wage labourers
Vadivelu who used to sell peanuts in the train is now sleeping outside Central Station with his family and living on food being given by volunteers. Sahul, a tailor and pillow maker who had a flourishing business selling his pillows in shops is now reduced to selling masks in traffic junctions. P Kumar, who used to work in the packaging department of a plastic manufacturing company is now jobless for a year. Many more such challenging stories emerged as we interacted with them and got to know them. The list goes on, as each story is more and more compelling and lives are severely affected due to the long raging pandemic.
In the month of May when the wrath of the pandemic was at its peak and when it wreaked havoc in the lives of people in our nation, hospitals were overflowing, people were grappling to get beds and oxygen cylinders for their family members. Amidst this chaotic situation, friends and relatives of infected patients were found to be waiting outside hospitals. They were waiting for hours together without proper food or water. The partial lockdown in India made it all the more difficult for them to get a proper meal. In our attempt to help these people who were waiting outside hospitals we distributed food packets and water bottles on a regular basis.
In Chennai and Mumbai, with the timely help from volunteers and sponsors we were able to provide food packets and water bottles to over 700 people outside hospitals and to those who were living on the streets. All the food packets that we took with us were distributed within a short time as people came from all directions, hearing about the food distribution. It broke our hearts to see people asking for food after we had finished distributing. It only motivated us to do more and more during the pandemic.
As part of our Covid Relief programmes we also provided Anti-Covid Kits to differently-abled people in rural areas of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Each Anti-Covid kit contained a double layered cloth mask, one strip of Zincovit tablets to help increase their immunity and a disinfectant (Dettol). All these people who received the anti-covid kits are from extremely rural and very backward areas and do not have access to good healthcare. In Andhra, along with the Anti-covid kits, we also gave each one of them a week’s supply of vegetables..
As part of our Covid Relief programmes we also provided Anti-Covid Kits to differently-abled people in rural areas of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Each Anti-Covid kit contained a double layered cloth mask, one strip of Zincovit tablets to help increase their immunity and a disinfectant (Dettol). All these people who received the anti-covid kits are from extremely rural and very backward areas and do not have access to good healthcare. In Andhra, along with the Anti-covid kits, we also gave each one of them a week’s supply of vegetables..
