When we began planning our launch of Divineya this April, we intended to begin our first official fundraiser some time in the summer, giving ourselves a chance to establish our social media presence and engage with our community members before asking for donations. However, the universe clearly had other plans! As it happens, our launch coincides with a nasty wave of the new Covid-19 variant in India. We have been flooded with offers of support and requests for more detailed information about the situation in India, from our incredible online community, whose dedication and compassion has inspired us to take immediate action to address this crisis.
A humanitarian catastrophe
India is currently facing the world’s worst Covid surge and is now the country with the second highest Covid case count. Thousands of people in India are suffering as hospitals face overcrowding and oxygen supply shortages, with hundreds dying from lack of access to the life-saving medical supplies and support they desperately need.
The news has been saturated with heart-wrenching stories about the severity of this disaster, as the extreme amount of death and sickness threatens to overwhelm the country.
Your support can be instrumental in saving lives
Ameena is a member of Sakhi Kunj, who is front and centre in our website title photo. Her parents are infected with Covid-19 and she is struggling to find and afford medication for them. Many of our Sakhi Kunj women live in the same neighbourhood with her, and the entire community is suffering. Because they are significantly lower class than many areas of Delhi, they are among the last to receive assistance. They are struggling to find access to vaccines, oxygen and medications, and are forced to care alone for their sick relatives. These people also rely on daily wages for fundamentals such as food, and with so many unable to work the shortages in food are leading to extreme conditions. Women and children are particularly vulnerable here, as many have lost their earning family members to Covid and are now struggling to survive and support themselves.
The good news is, together we can create action
Luckily, we are in a unique position to fast-track assistance directly to these families. Through our partnership with Sakhi Kunj, we are able to provide the most necessary aid right to the affected communities. The amazing Meera Arya has already created a structure and plans for how best to help save lives. She has a family friend who is a true hero, Dr. Vinit (featured in this post’s title photo). Meera’s mother runs an organization which supports children with disabilities, and she first met Dr. Vinit when he was a young physically challenged boy. He has since grown up to become an MBBS doctor in Delhi, and has been working tirelessly this past year fighting Covid. Through this amazing man and his contacts, Meera is able to find equipment for oxygen distribution, life-saving medications and health supplies. She is also able to facilitate vaccine distribution.
This is where you come in!
We have organized Urgent Covid Aid Response for India, a relief response aimed at securing funds to purchase this critical medical equipment, facilitate vaccines to our underprivileged communities, and provide needy families with food and medical aid. Meera has created a plan to work with the locals, providing aid and support neighbourhood by neighbourhood to save lives. This engagement with regular local people will establish a strong support system that can help the entire community to recover, building a lasting network that brings people together for collective security, hope and empowerment.
Please click the link below to donate! Every contribution in any denomination puts us one step closer to bringing desperately needed aid to the most vulnerable.
Fabulous! Keep up the good work