There are a host of agencies and private initiatives that have swung into action in the last 6 weeks. These groups are all doing commendable work and creating an impact in their own ways. We highlight a few that stood out to us. This is not to say there aren’t others effecting equal or more impact, but its impossible to capture the scale of human endeavor underway to help India. If not for anything else, just the fact that the scale of assistance and the variety of mechanisms through which it is being proffered cannot be enumerated, gives us hope.
If you would like to add your contribution to this, then choose any one of the groups below and help out or join us. We are working with the Hope Foundation that runs a 50 bed hospital for some of the most economically challenged in India and are desperately raising money to increase capacity. If that sounds like an idea worth contributing to please head over to their site and let your heartstrings tug at your purse strings.
While not necessary, if you can put in relief4india.org in the comments section of the payment page, it would provide great validation for us that our message is getting out there.
A Legacy of Service: Oxfam
With an established network stretching across some of the most diverse regions in the world, Oxfam has a history of delivering Emergency aid efficiently and in an accelerated fashion.
Since the start of the current crisis in India Oxfam is supplying medical equipment, including oxygen tanks and beds, to government hospitals and will be delivering PPE to 500 frontline workers in five states in the coming days. Donations to its emergency fund will also go to cash and food for immediate needs, particularly for stranded migrant workers. Oxfam India says that as the crisis evolves, it plans to meet the country’s changing needs, and is setting up Covid-19 awareness campaigns to help stop the spread. It is monitoring and responding to the Covid-19 crisis across 16 states.
Mobilizing a Community: Kolkata Foundation
A consortium of US and Kolkata based nonprofit organizations are working together to fight the 2nd COVID wave. Over $200K has been raised in the US between Kolkata Foundation (NJ) & Prabasi.org (Bay Area). 130 oxygen concentrators ($560 each including delivery charges to Kolkata) have been procured with a second order of 250 planned. A 24×7 manned call center is set up in Kolkata (HelloBeta.in). Medical kits with a set of predefined medicines are being procured and made available to poor people showing symptoms. We are also considering other ways we can help (isolation wards with oxygen supplies, etc.). Our goal is to have the maximum impact we can have and benefit the most number of people.
Individuals making a difference: Help India Breath
As the 2nd wave of Covid spread in India, certain expats in other parts of the world, stirred into action. A shining example is Chakshu Saharan, a U.K.-based tech entrepreneur originally from India. With the situation deteriorating, Chaksu along with a handful of contributors has started a project called Help India Breathe that is raising money to ship ventilators to India, along with CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machines, and Oxygen concentrators. Working with NGOs on the ground they plan to distribute this across the worst affected states in India
Relief4India 