Fight against COVID-19

Welcome to our Corona diary which we are continuing to update in order to support the most vulnerable children and families in our project areas.

The outbreak of COVID-19 has shaken the existence of humanity on earth. The pandemic filled the world with pictures of desperate families scrambling for proper medication and food. During the first lockdown in the first wave of COVID 19,

the poor families were nearly starved; many agencies, companies and offices were closed down. As a result numerous people lost jobs and had no means of income generation. Now in the second wave, we see a picture of helpless COVID affected families running after oxygen cylinders, hospital beds failing more often, than not. We have never seen huge queue of bodies, bagged and stacked on the pavement, awaiting their turn for the burning pyres everywhere across the country. As the pandemic continues, the distribution of ration, food kits, groceries, blood for thalassemia children and safety kits to the most vulnerable sections of our society continues. PRAYAS still continues to reach out to the different vulnerable groups as that was the need of the hour. People were and are becoming more susceptible to the disease and vulnerable to starvation and hunger.

Highlight from the ground:

  • Activated our plan West Bengal network and already initiated work in parts of Shyampur –I & II Block with 20 SHGSs, 15ADO groups, 12 local clubs and PRI apart from our own field teams.
  • Reached immediate relief support to 813 families (out of 235 migrant family who work in brick kilns), till date
  • Reached dry food support to 200 brick field school students
  • Reached relief support to 55 ANC mothers
  • Hygiene initiative; more than 2300 face masks, 1850 sanitizer and 500 sanitary pads/ napkins
  • Donated 26 units to 20thalassaemia children
  • Awareness programme

Distributed IEC

Covid-19: A Disaster of displacement &Hunger

The Corona virus lockdown left a lot of migrant workers, stuck in the cities, jobless, with hardly any resources. Many who retreated back to their villages are also struggling to sustain their families. We have activated our PRAYAS rural teams, network of partner organizations and volunteers, built over the last 2 decades, to start relief operations. The network has helped us reach material quickly and review and adapt our strategies periodically.

Our Target

Our Strength

To ensure, in this situation, that daily wagers, migrant and others vulnerable groups survive this lockdown in the rural Bengal with access to basic consumables.

Citizens and common people in the cities and villages of India, who are doing their bit in this tough time, some aspects have helped us get closer to goal;

  • Our experience of working disasters.
  • Our teams, with a strong connect with communities on ground, trained in handling large scale logistics, with flexibility, agility and adapting their strategies quickly.
  • Our systemic approach and efforts around nurturing and strengthening the larger ecosystem of development sector organization.

Details of activities

Distributed food groceries kit to family : Distributed food groceries kit containing 7kgs of Rice, 2kgs of potato, 1kg of pulses 1ltr of oil and mask, sanitizer and soap to 813 families twice in a month since 4th April 2020

Distributed dry food to migrant children : Distributed dry food kit containing 5cakes, biscuits and 5 pieces of eggs to 200 migrant school children once in a week since 28th March 2020

Distributed food kit to ANC mother :  Distributed food groceries kit containing 5kgs of Rice, 1kgs of potato, 1kg of mixed dal, 1ltr.of oil, 1kg soya chunk, mask, sanitizer and soap to 55 ANC mothers.

Distributed hygiene kit :

  • Masks & sanitizer to 600 front level health workers
  • Sanitary pads, soap masks and sanitizer to 500 adolescent girls 
  • Masks & sanitizer to 1250 families.

Blood donated to Thalassaemia : Twenty six of our volunteer donated twenty unit blood at Uluberia Sub-divisional hospital for the thalassaemia children

Distributed IEC : We always distribute printed latest IEC materials received from the source of Govt. and WHO   to ASHA, AWW, Ado and SHGs leader.

Awareness programme : It has been done through 100 members of ado group via mobile phone advising on  the procedure of washing  hands properly with soap or rub with alcoholic liquid, never go out of home other than necessity. Mask or handkerchief  is  inevitably be used while going outside home , besides a meeting held with 25 Ado groups where alerted all not to pay heed to  any  rumor and follow the announcement of Govt. bulletin   and the poster of COVID 19 to  SHGs, Baby, Peer Group , People Forum are advised to maintain social distance , use mask, don’t go out of home other than necessary duties , drink adequate water , eat vitamin reach food and if encountered any health related problem consult with doctor. Aware the community about with dos and don’ts with the help of posters. A meeting held with the members of VHSNC, besides arrangement was done to maintain 3ft distance while queuing before the ration shops, groceries etc.