The plight of India's migrant workers in the COVID 19 lockdown was highlighted on international news channels. Overnight migrant workers found themselves unable to work and not able to return to their villages. They are effectively trapped in migrant worker camps with no money, food, work or real chances of social distancing. To prevent hunger and destitution in Bangalore's migrant communities, Sampark plans to distribute essential food and provision to 12000 migrant workers and their families
Bangalore has over 400,000 migrant construction workers who are now out of work and with no safety net to support them. They cannot return to their villages, their children are out of school and the women are out of work too. Without local identity cards, they are not entitled to state relief. They cannot benefit from government shelters and are completely dependent on support from NGOs and the community.
This project will provide basic food provisions for a family for 7-10 days, to prevent hunger and ill health. Those who do not have food for even one day will be provided cooked food. We will request food from government so after two or three weeks, Government can begin to support them. Frontline workers will raise awareness about COVID 19 prevention and where to seek help if someone develops symptoms. Sampark's team and migrant worker leaders will be provided with medical support when needed.
The project will save 12,000 migrant workers, their families and enable them to stay safe in the lockdown period. Migrant workers will be registered with and have access to official Government support services. It will build capacity of migrant workers and their unions to co-ordinate relief work and to have a voice to demand their human rights as inter-state migrants. This project will provide social protection till workers regain livelihoods. It will support frontline workers who contract COVID
This project has provided additional documentation in a PDF file (projdoc.pdf).
