COVID-19 India Project #45154

Covid-19: Relief to Rural Communities in India

by Seva Mandir

Summary

India is recovering from the devastating effects of Covid-19, but new cases are on the rise again. The pandemic has ravaged the lives of people in southern Rajasthan, whose average daily income is less than $0.70 (Rs. 52). We provided temporary support to these families, by distributing relief kits and arranging for medical facilities. We are now working on providing long term sustainable measures. Your donation will be used to create long term opportunities for these rural communities.

$140,000
total goal

$47,115
remaining

293
donors

3
monthly donors

10
fundraisers

2
years

Challenge

Many villagers who were working outside came back to their villages, during the 2020 lockdown. Most of them are unemployed due to lack of jobs in their communities. This is adding to their financial and social stress. Another key challenge is the lack of awareness and misconceptions about the Covid-19 vaccination drive. The local residents have a lot of vaccine hesitancy which is harmful for their well-being. Changing people's mindset about benefits of vaccines is a hard and time taking task.

Solution

We are raising awareness among locals susceptible to vaccine hesitancy through awareness programs, street plays and music and dance performances; organized by Covid Management Communities (CMC). This will help us achieve 100% vaccination coverage. We are linking people with livelihood programs and other opportunities, which will help them get a stable income, long term benefits and increase their well-being. We regularly interact with village communities to identify and solve their problems.

Long-Term Impact

We have been working in southern Rajasthan for the last 54 years and understand the challenges that the local communities continue to face. Our approach of dealing with the economic fallout of Covid-19 is based on the immediate and long term needs of these communities. Previously, our focus was on providing relief kits and medical facilities, but now we are spreading awareness about the benefits of getting vaccinated and working on providing livelihood opportunities to local residents.