Feeding The Needy Amidst Covid-19 Pandemic
Like the ripples of a stone thrown in a pond, the scourge of CoronaVirus has now travelled to most corners of the inhabited Earth. After 6 months of, one of humanities toughest struggles for survival, with 3.36 Million confirmed cases, more than 239K lives have been lost globally. Never before has humanity been so unanimously affected in recorded history.
However, COVID-19 shall not be the epitaph of human life on Earth. Humanity is fighting back. Constant testing, relentless search for vaccines and medication, various lockdown measures, technological innovations are all proving vital in a global response to fight against this pandemic.
Akhand Jyoti’s core operational area, the Indian state of Bihar has been affected too. Though the official figure of confirmed COVID-19 cases as of 2nd May 2020 for Bihar remain at 471, of which 3 are deceased, the real picture might be much more alarming in a state of 113 Million people (as per 2011 census). With more than 80% of the state population living in villages and non-urban remote areas, it is very difficult to accurately ascertain the spread of the disease.
One thing is very certain though – the adverse economic impact on the livelihoods of millions living in the rural hinterlands of the state. Apart from its toll on health and human life, COVID-19 has severely crippled the global economy. The people of Bihar are gravely affected too, specially the poor and underprivileged, those living in the rural landscapes – the daily wage earners, landless labourers, and petty farmers. Especially the elderly. A nationwide Lockdown has taken away the capacity of the people to earn and feed themselves. 80% of Akhand Jyoti’s patients hail from this section of the populace.
So, when COVID-19 took away the means of livelihood of thousands of villagers, Akhand Jyoti took on the challenge to feed 1,00,000 such needy people in 100 days, through an initiative christened ‘The Food Express’. Mritunjay Tiwary, Founder Trustee of Akhand Jyoti, has been personally sending out 500 food packets each day to feed hungry villagers since then.
Beneficiaries for the food packets in Akhand Jyoti’s catchment areas in Bihar are identified through block and police officials, so that the neediest get these packets containing rice and flour. Akhand Jyoti staff relentlessly prepare the packets and venture into the village to distribute the packets every day.
Since the 30th of March till 2nd May, under this initiative, already 10,000 food packets have been handed over to 10,000 families.
Now you can help feed the hungry too during this time of crisis. It just takes INR 76 or USD 1 to feed (2 meals) a family of 4 for a day. Donate online today and partner with Akhand Jyoti to feed the needy during the COVID-19 crises.
