Livelihood Opportunities for Women in Rural India

Since launching this campaign in February 2021, the Desai Foundation has continued to operate our Asani Sanitary Napkin, but in the wake of the second, more deadly surge of COVID in India, we have shifted our on-the-ground work to provide relief to rural villages for COVID, specifically with a focus on uplifting women and girls throughout the pandemic, and setting them up for long-term success once this crisis has abated. 

Our programs empower women and girls to learn new skills, improve their economic/social conditions, and challenge cultural stigmas. This work is more important now than ever, as the status and opportunities of women and girls in India are under threat of reverting back several decades’ worth of progress, as communities work to rebuild. 

The COVID relief we are currently performing that impacts women and girls in rural India include: 

• SUPPORTING WOMEN AND GIRLS - We are in touch with the hundreds of thousands of women we serve trying to support them in any way we can. We know that women are bearing the brunt of the COVID repercussions, and we are working tirelessly to provide them with the resources they need.
• COVID SUPPORT HOTLINE (Non-Medical) (Help Desk) - Phone number for those who have lost loved ones to call to seek guidance and support on getting aid, food, financial support, etc. This helps the women who are left to manage their homes and families after a loved one passes away. 
• SUPPLIES - We have distributed over 250 COVID medical kits (thermometers, sanitizer, oximeter, PPE kits, and vitamins) as well as 75 BiPaps, 50 Oxygen concentrators, and 20 ventilators.  We have also distributed 15,000 family hygiene kits to keep those isolated at home safe. There are several area hospitals in which we are also providing these supplies.  We are also distributing 500K Sanitary Napkins to hospitals, COVID care centers, and directly to women in need. These give access to much-needed home supplies to assist women as they care for their loved ones who are COVID positive. 
• FOOD KITS –  We are supplying Food Kits for people waiting outside hospitals, as well as Food Rations that can feed a family for a month. We have been able to distribute 15,000 to date. 
• COVID ISOLATION & RELIEF CENTERS — We have 10 isolation and relief centers open with beds, food, medical supplies, rapid testing, sanitary napkins, medical screenings, and comfort for isolation and pre-critical stage patients. These centers take much of the burden off of women in rural villages, whose families do not have the option of isolating themselves elsewhere. By moving into isolation centers, the responsibilities of caring for sick individuals are removed from the women who are also managing the full responsibility of caring for their families and homes each day.