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Highlights Of Rebuilding Lives Telethon: A Campaign To Rehabilitate Migrant Workers Affected By Coronavirus Lockdown
Around 40 million migrant daily-waged workers have been hit hard by the lockdown imposed in the wake of COVID-19. Rebuilding Lives is an action-oriented campaign by American India Foundation (AIF) in partnership with NDTV to rebuild the lives of migrant communities. The need of the hour is for immediate relief to serve urgent needs, equal attention is required towards a sustainable and resilient rebuilding of lives through a multi-pronged response, addressing health, education and livelihoods.
Here are the highlights of the #RebuildingLives Telethon:
Taapsee Pannu, Actress on being part of the animation video highlighting the migration crisis during the lockdown:
It was very emotional for me. I got this opportunity by a director who wanted someone who feels the same way to do this video. I think, we probably did not try much. We did but not enough. That's why these visuals were there. It can be me as well. I am also a migrant. I left my home and went to Mumbai. But I am one of the lucky ones but it was very very disheartening to see those videos. I voiced it in a way I felt and I am glad that people also were able to relate with it.
I just hope that the migrant workers are not too disheartened or hopeless that they don't want to come back. The least we can do is to reach out to them and ask them if they need something.
The entire world is going through the pandemic but our country is going through a major humanitarian crisis along with the pandemic. Let's try to repair the damage.
Around 40 million migrant daily-waged workers have been hit hard by COVID-19 induced economic distress, lockdowns, travel bans and social distancing requirements. As they reach home enduring unprecedented ordeals, they face the risk of hunger, indebtedness and prolonged unemployment.
Their families face high infection risk and their children, particularly girls, the loss of learning.
While the need of the hour is for immediate relief to serve urgent needs, equal attention is required towards a sustainable and resilient rebuilding of lives through a multi-pronged response, addressing health, education and livelihoods needs - both in the source and destination areas of migration.
This crisis has also shown us the spirit of our community. We are truly inspired by the way citizens, non-profits, corporates and the government have come together to help those in need. As first responders, American India Foundation (AIF) has served 272,000 people across 16 states of India and has now joined hands with NDTV to raise awareness and resources to complement the government’s efforts to rehabilitate migrant families.
Serve immediate and urgent needs of migrant communities, especially women and girls, with a focus on migration affected states
Emergency Relief:
- Address immediate needs of migrants through food, hygiene essentials/unconditional money transfers
Livelihoods & Income Generation:
- At least one member of a migrant household acquires a fresh skill/get upskilled and gain livelihood to increase household income
Public Health:
- Protect and train community health workers (CHW) on pandemic preparedness and using digital tools
- Support vulnerable communities in protecting themselves from Covid-19
Education:
- Bridge the educational and digital divide through techno-pedagogy and virtual learning in government schools in a Covid-safe environment
- Ensure continuity of education and remediation in community settings especially for young girls and adolescents