Madhya Pradesh's Sukarma Foundation Has Helped Feed Over 20,000 People Amid Lockdown
A group of volunteers from Sukarma Foundation, an NGO in Madhya Pradesh's Narsinghpur district have been on the road since the start of COVID-19 lockdown with the aim to feed and support the migrant labourers. Sitting day and night under a small tent on the highway, with food and hygiene kits, these volunteers are playing the role of good Samaritans for thousands of migrant workers and their families.
The COVID-19 lockdown, threw up some unforeseen challenges of providing food, shelter and stable source of livelihood for many people working away from home in cities, as daily wagers or in the unorganised sector. Many were forced to fend for themselves to even return to their native place to be with their family at a time of crisis. In order to provide some relief to the migrant workers during this long and hard journey, a team of ten volunteers of Sukarma Foundation set up a camp at the Nandner village on National Highway 22 that saw hundreds of migrants travelling, sometimes on foot daily.
Nearly 20 lakh children live on the streets of India, without an identity, a name to call their own, a place to call home, sleeping on empty stomachs for days and nights. These twenty lakh are children, who have dreams, who have rights, who are our tomorrow. They are living in the shadows today.
During these unprecedented times, not everyone can afford the privilege of social distancing. And not everybody can stay home during the lockdown, simply because they don’t have a home. Those living in poverty are extremely vulnerable, struck with a sudden lack of funds, food, mobility and a struggle for survival. And, as with all humanitarian crises, it is the children who have been affected the most.
It is always the children on the street who are subjected to some of the harshest realities of life. Today they are battling a catastrophic crisis, and it’s time we step in to protect them.
As a part of our COVID-19 response, Save the Children is working across various regions and has already directly reached over 18,000 children and adults to cover their basic needs. The organisation is ensuring their daily needs and their dignity and hygiene are also being cared for. Save the Children has identified 2.5 lakh children in cohorts, across 10 cities in India. Reaching out to these children with emergency relief is a top priority. But this cannot be done alone.
Save the Children and NDTV join hands to bring focus to the lives of children living in street situations. As India fights the Coronavirus, we must not forget one of the most marginalised and excluded groups whose lives have been long ignored – street-connected children. The 21-day campaign will generate public interest and raise funds to ensure these 20 Lakh+ children who live, earn, sleep and eat on our streets are cared for and protected. Amidst the crisis the world is facing, they are most vulnerable, exposed to infection and disease.