By Praveen | Project leader
We have provided food, medicines, housing support, school supplies, to 57,739 women and children in red-light areas, migrant slums and refugee camps. The food is in the form of dry ration kits that contain rice, dal, onions, potatoes, cooking oil, salt, sugar and spices. each kit has enough ration for 100 meals.In total we provided 5.4 million meals and 200,000 kits of medicines and sanitary pads.
In addition we put in soap, sanitizers, masks and essential medicines like paracetemol and vitamins, as well as sanitary pads.
In April, a devastating second wave of Covid has hit with a virulent virus. 2,000 deaths and 350,000 new infections are reported every day. In the red-light area, where we work, children have lost a parent or parents have lost all livelihood.
Their schools are closed and they are sent back to the red light area. Lack of food has become a major issue, as has housing. Fresh air is a luxury. Wi-fi and computers are a fry cry for most children to access online education.
Some women have committed suicide. The crematoriums are too full too accommodate them.
In this scenario, Apne Aap has been ensuring food and medicines, of course. In addition, we have also begun to provide connection and transportation for vaccinations and hospital referrals. For some of the children we have found safe housing.
I will share the story of two girls as an example. One is in Class 12 and one is in Class 8.
Their school shut down in the devastating second wave and they were sent back home. Home was a small room in the red light area. The room also served as the brothel for their mother. Unable to look after her children, the mother had run away.
Predators began to ask the children to act in sex videos in return for food.
Luckily an Apne Aap community mobilser was able to find a rental accommodation far from the red light area for the chidren. Apne Aap was able to to also send them groceries, a wi-fi dongle and computer. We were also able to find students to teach them online.
They are safe, healthy and studying.
There are 6 million children of the 230 million vulnerable children in India, who will not go back to school due to lack of food. we are helping some of them in the red-light areas of Delhi, Kolkata and Bihar. Help us help the most excluded women and children in this devastating Covid pandemic.
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