India COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund

Dear Global Givers,

We are happy to share an update from our COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund campaign. Your unwavering support towards the campaign is enabling poor rural families and vulnerable women and girls to seek alternate livelihood options. The aftermath of the pandemic is still felt amongst rural poor communities.

According to World Bank, Indians account for 80% of Those Who Became Poor Globally in 2020 Due to COVID-19. With rising food and energy prices and heightened climate change, the road ahead for poor communities remains a challenge. 

At iPartner India, we are continuing to focus on helping these communities become economically self-sustained post-COVID. We are also working closely with vulnerable women and girls so that they are allowed to find alternate livelihoods.

UPDATE FROM THE FIELD

• During this reporting period, 540 families have received support to set up kitchen gardens in their backyards. Various winter season seeds have been distributed. The kitchen garden is helping these families to increase their savings and nutrition intake. 
• 20 families have also set up their nurseries and one training has been organized for them on sustainable farming techniques to build their resilience for future challenges related to the climate.
• Through the education scholarship program, 160 unique scholars have been enrolled in regular and boarding schools. Without the scholarships, these children would have dropped out of school.
• 109 children and women who were not able to continue their studies due to various reasons including the pandemic were enrolled in distance learning/open schooling and are continuing their education.
• More than 100 women and youth have been trained during the pandemic in marketing, entrepreneurship, and skill building. These women and youth are now involved in the marketing of sanitary napkins, in poultry, goats, and spice-making units. They are now earning and contributing to their family income.
• After the pandemic, many female sex workers lost their livelihood. With no income, these women faced the great risk of hunger and poverty. Our team on the ground responded to the situation by providing alternate livelihood options to 25 women and rigorous follow-up is being done to help them prepare a marketing plan which continuously generates profit for them.
• A woman from a marginalized community in Rajasthan had to shut her shop due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Her children also dropped out of school. Through this campaign and the support provided to her through the Self Help Group (SHG), she has been able to open a grocery store in her village to sustain her family. Her children have also started going to school again.
• 15 women from the resource-poor community attended 3 days of training at Central Sheep Wool Research Institute (CSWRI) in Rajasthan on maintenance of the goat units. Participants received guidance improvising breeding and caring for the goats. The women need funds to establish their goat unit. This activity has been helpful during the pandemic to make families financially self-sufficient.

Despite all the challenges, we are grateful for your support. We still have a long way to achieve our campaign target and help these communities live a life without the fear of hunger and safety for their children.

We will continue to raise funds both online and offline so that these families can support themselves. Do continue to champion our cause and give them a ray of hope to live a life with dignity.

With deep gratitude,
Team iPartner India