Food Security for 115 Families in COVID-hit Pune

Two entire years into the pandemic, the Waghri and Sikhligar community families are still relentlessly making the best of the situation at hand.

Although the repetitive lockdowns in the country and city have taken a disastrous impact on the daily livelihoods of the Waghri's and Sikhligar's, their spirit to power through the crisis is stronger than ever. With access to only public toilets and community based water connections, they are vulnerable and at risk to contract the virus which is festering and spreading rapidly in the country even now. A majority of the families sole financial income depends on selling old clothes and iron utensils/vegetables in the local markets. Due to the complete lockdown imposed during the second wave by the government, their livelihoods have again been adversely affected leading to no food on their tables yet again. Their financial status has taken a severe decline with Ashraya having to support them with their nutrition and health needs completely. The Ashraya staff has been working harder to increase the outreach services provided to the children and the community people in the last one year during the pandemic to ensure that they are safe and healthy. 

A typical family in these communities earns an average of 2 USD on a regular work day rangin to an average income of 67 USD in a month. In the last one year, our quarterly community need assessments (conducted by the communityvolunteers and staff) have shown that that amount had reduced to around to 40 USD on an average with their daily livelihoods being affected. Needless to say, Ashraya has been providing the families ration kits to substantiate their nutrition needs every fortnight to a month, along with health and hygiene kits/necessities. A typical food ration kit consists of Wheat flour, Rice, Pulses, Sugar, Oil, Tea. A typical hygiene kit consists of clothes, toiletries, sanitisers, masks, sanitary napkins, medicines. The Ashraya community women volunteers have also been providing children who are at additional risk of exploitation and depravity, hot, fresh meals, once a day to combat food insecurity.  With a combined number of 2750+ ration and hygiene kits distributed, along with 7750+ lunches provided in the last one year, Ashraya, along with the support of our loyal partners, has ensured that the families are supported in battling the harsh effects of COVID. After the disastrous second wave spreading through the country especially in Pune (where active cases remain the highest in the country), it is a significant achievement that we have zero deaths due to proactive health and sanitation measures. 

Another notable acheievment is that we have completed 100% COVID vaccinations within the adults of the community through awareness, access and facilitiation. Ashraya is consistently building a foundation for a safe and healthy community, even in the midst of a health crisis and we are grateful for our supporters who are helping us through this challenging phase.