Behind the masks are smiles of gratitude and relief. These photos were taken this week of our team at our three education centres in the Bagnala, Parmawala and Kadarganj jungle villages. Over 1200 ration and hygiene packs have recently been delivered by our team to these villages and slums in Kotdwara.
You may be aware of news this week regarding the seriousness of COVID-19 in India. It’s not looking good. Even with limited accurate and inconsistent data, India could possibly be now, or will soon become, the nation with the highest incidence of COVID-19.
This week’s report from one of our Field Officers gives you a sense of how we are responding to COVID-19 in a remote and very poor part of India. where our mission is to bring love, hope, dignity and purpose to the poor.
This mail is to give you some latest update of Kotdwara. Nowadays in Kotdwara there are many cases of COVID and the infection is at its peak we hope but lots of deaths have occurred. The borders are still partially sealed, people have lost their jobs. The daily wage labours are suffering the most with difficulties. Schools remain closed. Transportation is difficult, public transportation is hard to get with railway and bus service shut for fears of coronavirus spreading. So many neighbourhoods (colonies) are sealed due to coronavirus active cases, so we (Project Help) are the one who is continuously suppling essential food supplies to the families. People are taking care of themselves by doing social distancing, using face masks and sanitizer. Sanitary napkins to the girl child and ladies of the locality have also been distributed.
In this difficult situation only Project Help India is working on ground zero, with supplies of food items, like the ration packs with spices, salt, cooking oil and other necessities. Project Help have now distributed 1200 hygiene packets consisting of hair oil, tooth paste, tooth brushes, sanitizer and hand wash soap. We are taking care of all the basic needs of people in Kotdwara especially for each of our education centre kids. Stationery and work sheets have been distributed to all these kids to keep their education going. Our teaching staff are regularly distributing school work to the students.
One of our students Nikhil is going through some essential tests prior to his treatment. He is now suffering from minor pain occasionally in his ears.
Children in all the centres are missing coming to school. They say that life has become more miserable now- a-days due to no income of the family. Many families have nothing, and their savings have been used to date. The only source of food supplies is from Project Help. They are thanking God that they are part of the Project Help family.
We thank our many supporters in Australia and other countries, for being part of the Project Help family too. Wherever we may be, we are connected as a family and your generosity is helping a significant number of people during this most terrible time.