India’s casual workers and daily workers sum up a whopping 62% as per the latest data available under the India Wage Report, 2018. With the announcement of a 21-day lockdown following the outbreak of COVID-19 or coronavirus cases in the country, these daily wage earners were among the most affected. In our attempt to ensure they receive food for these many days, the volunteers of respective states started assembling, distributing and transporting relief food materials to many parts in their region. Here is a report on the groundwork that has been going on for weeks together. The Art of Living, along with the IAHV (International Association for Human Values) and several other local authorities have been instrumental in reaching out to the underprivileged, migrant workers and daily wage earners in many ways.
NORTH • WEST • SOUTH • CENTRAL • EAST • NORTH-EAST • INTERNATIONAL
Northern states
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Delhi
Over 2.13 lac immigrant workers, slum dwellers and villagers in and around Delhi NCR received relief work food materials as of April 2nd. The food was prepared by volunteers in 3 kitchens at Anand Vihar, Pitampura, and Karol Bagh. The distribution happened in close coordination with the Delhi Police, NDRF, and numerous other NGOs.
The country’s capital has witnessed The Art of Living volunteers coming out in support of the initiative to reach out to those in need. As of now, the team has reached out to thousands of migrant workers, daily wage earners and other underprivileged people on the streets of Delhi. The team distributed 3000 food packets consisting of all the essential groceries and other daily use materials on 30th March in close coordination and help from the NDMS workers. Further, over 15,000 people have been served cooked food. The beneficiaries expressed their gratitude to the team for having received help when they had no idea how their survival would be in the future with the lockdown.
Around 7,000 biscuit packs and 7,000 bananas were distributed to the daily wagers and migrant workers in Delhi on 28th March.
Western states
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Goa
150 food packets
supplied to families in need, which includes a week’s stock of groceries and vegetables.
Southern states
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Karnataka
5,000 meals
prepared daily by The Art of Living International Center to feed nearby rural areas in Bangalore. 2,000 rotis per day and 700kg of rice being distributed daily to 5,000 villagers around the center’s campus. On some days, 4,000 rotis and over 1,400kg of cooked meal has also been distributed with dal and sabji.
~ 50 food parcels
have been distributed in the first phase of relief activities in Kalaburagi. The kits were distributed to 50 families in a slum.
~ 1000 sanitizers
have been distributed in Bangalore too.
5000 migrant families
from Bengaluru who were stopped from leaving the city were provided with 12 tons of ration for 10 days.
Central states
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Madhya Pradesh
Indore
The chapter started the initiative to prepare food for 500 daily wage laborers, it is now preparing food for 3,000 daily wage laborers. The food is being distributed by the officers of the Indore Municipal Corporation.
Chhindwara
2,000 kgs of vegetables
like cauliflower, tomato, and brinjal.
Rajwada
600 packets
distributed with the help of the local administration to senior citizens and the needy.
Eastern states
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Jharkhand
Jhansi
30 food packets
distributed in the slums of Rajgadh area.
Dhanbad
400 families
in Ambona, Pradhaankhanta, Pandedeeh, Dhokra, Majhi Bhasti, Belgadiya, Rani Road Bhuda Colony, and Kusht Ashram Barmasiya.
North-Eastern states
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Assam
The volunteers in the northeast region of India have also come together to reach out to all those who are in need now. The team reached out to 160 families at the Diphu Ashram. The team, meanwhile, has expressed deep gratitude for being able to serve the nation and its people in the time of the coronavirus outbreak. The team is also hopeful to carry out more service initiatives as and when the need arises in the state. The team is also currently reaching out to the rural areas of Assam. So far, they have distributed 40 relief food material packets to 40 families.
International
Major states in this region have several wage workers. Our volunteers have been providing cooked food, ration, and other daily essentials.
Nepal
4,000 food materials
distributed to needy families in various places of Kathmandu.
20,000 kg rice grain
6,000 kg lentils, 8,000 kg beaten rice, 4,000 liters cooking oil, 4,000 kg salt and 40,000 packets of noodles distributed to the needy and those living in Narayantar, Kapan, Nakhipot and Godavari in close coordination with the local administration.
500 families
in Surya Binayak Municipality of Bhaktapur received raw material in the first week of April.