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In The Spotlight

Earth Day celebrations in the midst of COVID-19

Earth Day celebrations in the midst of COVID-19

As the evening falls and the temperature drops with it, one can smell summer during the evenings and nights. The smell of grass, flowers, leaves in clean air reaches one’s room. The skies are clearer and bluer and full of hues, rendering all the photo editing tools useless. The air feels lighter and cleaner, water more transparent, and the only thing littering the streets and roads are the leaves and branches fallen from the trees. Earth Day, this year, is one of a kind as it completed 50 years.

 

COVID-19, that has affected more than 190 countries across the world, is posing an unprecedented challenge for which none of us, in the present century, were prepared. When more than half the world was forced to shut down as the spring arrived earlier this year due to a pandemic, it had an unexpected impact globally.

 

The air quality around the world has improved drastically and the level of pollution has cut by as much as 60% as factories and air and road traffic have been stopped. The water in rivers and lakes is clearer due to the lack of ships and boats, and sightings of unique animals and mountain ranges are reported which has not happened in decades.

 

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With the human interference in nature reducing drastically, Earth has started showing signs of getting healed. However, it is fairly temporary and the situation will worsen once the lockdown is lifted. Even with a number of positive news in terms of air quality, the effect of COVID-19 on the environment will be immense due to an increase in the production of bio-medical wastes. Single-use plastic is being used more to deliver food to people as they stay at home to prevent the spread of disease. Most of this waste is not being recycled due to the fear of virus propagation. A few incidences of illegal deforestation, poaching, and fishing have also come forward in nature conservation zones as the surveillance has to be shut due to the pandemic.

 

The few positives that happened during the global lockdown which this Earth Day is witnessing is all set to be eclipsed by the negatives when the world goes back to being as it was before the lockdown. Besides the inevitable rise in global air pollution, overexploitation of natural resources to balance the economy and increase employment will also be witnessed when the pandemic is over.

 

It is just a matter of time that humans being as selfish they are, return things the way they were before the pandemic hit the world.

 

The world did not need a pandemic for the people to realize the benefits of being responsible towards nature. The environment around the world has been degrading at an alarming rate for the past decade and still, no effective means have been implemented to conserve and reverse the effects of extensive exploitation of resources for the benefit of humans.

 

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The reason why a pathogen that is usually found in animals managed to enter the human body is primarily because of human encroachment is animal territories. There are millions of other virus strains and pathogens in animals, which can reach humans and prove to be far more dangerous and with a higher mortality rate than the current COVID-19. As we destroy the homes of wildlife and force our way into their territories, we leave the human population vulnerable to these diseases.

 

It is, therefore, immensely crucial for all us to do our part and protect the world we will get in our lives to live. A healthy environment would result in a healthy human being at risk of lesser diseases. Maintaining a balanced eco-system and respecting the needs of animals, trees and every necessary ecological entity is essential and needs to be implemented urgently. For even if humans manage to find another life-sustaining planet within this galaxy, reaching it will not be possible any time soon if we destroy our home.

 

This Earth Day, let us all pledge to not ignore our duties towards our world and do our part in improving the health and well-being of the environment and our planet.

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Insights

Woman fighting against corona pandemic

Woman fighting against corona pandemic

The phrase ‘rise up to the occasion’ fits perfectly with the efforts that two of the community mobilizers, Manju & Savita showed on the ground amidst the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak at one of the project location, Surat Nagar Phase 2 Gurugram. Surat Nagar phase 2 is an urban slum where we can find a large number of people in the unorganized sector and daily wagers, the sector which was largely hit by the lock down situation to prevent the spread of the corona pandemic.

 

All this started with lock down when there was a sudden suspension of all field activities at once and the whole team was asked to work from home. Quite clearly, working from home was not something that would align with the role of the mobilizers and realizing the situation is worsening for the underprivileged people, the mobilizers were decided to step up in order to help the community out of this unprecedented crisis.

 

They connected with the local leaders over phone calls, reached out to local government officials and all local grassroots organizations and made every necessary effort to make sure that the deprived ones are taken care of. They were able to mobilize the availability of cooked food directly provided to the people from the Nigam office (local government office and are continuously creating awareness on maintaining social distance and hygiene in the community.

 

In a situation, where almost all of the population is confined to their houses, the worst affected are the daily wage workers like the ones residing in Surat Nagar. Their mental health suffers in an unexpected way due to the lack of income and the possible difficulties they will face in surviving through the lockdown. Through telephonic calls and text messages, a constant check of the beneficiaries is being kept by Savita and Manju to help them deal with the stress of the current situation and bring all the support they might need in these testing times.

 

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In the past 3 weeks, these mobilizers have also facilitated four institutional deliveries by helping pregnant women understand the signs of labor and bringing them to the hospital and ensure that these women get the necessary medical attention during childbirth.  

The two mobilizers also ensured that the people of the communities they serve do not struggle to feed themselves. With the help of Smile Foundation, they helped our volunteers to facilitate smooth implementation of the initiative of providing relief to underprivileged people through the distribution of dry rations. The kit will consist of food, medicines, soap, and sanitizer for people to maintain both health and hygiene.

 

Both women not only took adequate measures to sanitize the venue of relief distribution but also conducted a session to spread awareness among the masses on the need to protect themselves from the spread of the novel corona pandemic.

 

Staying in the same community and tackling many odds in their own lives, Manju and Savita have set an example of empathy and resource mobilization. Without the assistance of such dedicated grassroots level workers, Smile Foundation would have succeeded in distributing over a million meals to people across the country. Our strength lies in our partners who are true warriors in this time of emergency.

 

Help provide relief to the underprivileged https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/smile-fights-covid19/

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In The Spotlight

COVID-19 – A shared responsibility*

COVID-19 – A shared responsibility*

COVID-19 shattered the walls of superficial differences among people. Every person is equally susceptible to this disease and its social and psychological effects.

 

The lockdown implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, left thousands of people stranded in the middle of nowhere without essentials. I was one among them when the country was put under lockdown on March 24, 2020. I was on the country tour for the promotion of my album and somewhere between Odisha and West Bengal on my bike, 3000 KM away from my home when the lockdown was announced.

 

I had all the money I could have needed to get myself a place to sleep or food to eat but in my bank account. I could not find even a single hotel, lodge or guesthouse to rest for a night. I did not have any cash on me, the ATMs were shut and my cards useless under such circumstances.

 

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As I struggled to reach my home, I came across hundreds of people walking to reach their homes in the midst of the pandemic. With cities shut, they had lost their sources of income and had no reason to stay in the city or the means to reach their homes. All of them just trudged ahead in the hope of reaching the safety of their homes as was I.

 

When I reached the Maharashtra-Karnataka state border, I had the assistance of the police and CRPF forces who provided me with the means I needed to reach home. One of the CRPF personnel asked me if I had anything to eat. I said, “No”. He, then, gave me the food he had on him and said, “feed a poor soul in return of the food I am giving you!”.

 

This action and sentiment of a stranger, whose only duty is to implement the lockdown and ensure everyone’s safety, had an immense impact on me. After nine days of struggle without food, water, or sleep, I reached my home. Grateful to have a shelter, a bed, and enough food for myself, I thought of the thousands of migrant workers, who like me were trying to reach home away from hunger and struggle. I do not know if they reached their homes or not, or if the ones who managed to reach their destinations had food in their homes or not. I had the food I needed when I reached home, I only pray that all these people have the same.

 

Nitish Pires was stuck on the road for nine days due to the COVID-19 lockdown.

 

I am extremely grateful for the services provided by the state and central government and to all the doctors, policepersons, and every individual working on the frontline to protect us all from COVID-19 as we do our part by staying at home.

 

As essential as it is for this lockdown to continue to contain the spread of the virus, we all need to stand together to get through this crisis. We who have the necessities and resources to make it through the present situation must extend a helping hand to the ones who are, now, left with nothing.

 

In a bid to do the same, I have teamed up with Smile Foundation, with whom I have worked numerous times for fundraising for social welfare, to raise funds to provide the underprivileged of the society with the rations essential for survival. Smile Foundation is also working relentlessly towards doing its part in providing relief to underprivileged people by providing them with dry rations. The kit will consist of food, medicines, soap, and sanitizer for people to maintain both health and hygiene.

 

The current circumstance requires us all to come together to help the most helpless overcome the difficulties alongside ourselves. Smile aims to not leave any individual behind in this fight against an invisible enemy through communal effort through awareness and aid.

 

I request every person capable of sparing anything to come forward and contribute to this cause. No amount is insignificant and every contribution will help a person suffering in these difficult times to make it through to the end of the tunnel.

 

To donate, please visit – https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/smile-fights-covid19-brand-tree/

*Views and experienced narrated in the blog are of Nitish Pires, Indian Film Music Director

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Insights

Social distance isn’t emotional distance!

Social distance isn’t emotional distance!

The recent pandemic of COVID-19 has forced over one-third of the world’s population to limit themselves to their homes. A lot of countries, including India, have implemented a complete lockdown to break the spread of the virus, without which the virus would have resulted in a chain reaction too difficult to stop or even control. In such difficult times, it is important for all of us to contribute towards containing the spread of this disease by practicing social distance and by avoiding the outside world except in times grave of necessity.

 

However, it is impossible for human species to practice complete social distance and the task of staying at home all the time for more than a month now has started taking a toll on the mental health of the people. Reports of people suffering from anxiety, low moods, frustration, and inexplicable stress and fear are coming out regularly from every stratum of society. Adults are finding it difficult to maintain focus and deal with the dual responsibility of handling both the professional and domestic lives since the lockdown is preventing people from employee domestic help; children are unable to tackle being stuck at home and not being able to explore outdoor activities or meet their friends; while elderlies keep themselves occupied just with the television and limited to no interaction within the family due to mounting pressure on the working members.

 

Without a healthy social life and regular in-person interactions, it is becoming immensely hard for every one of us to maintain the lifestyle we all have become accustomed to. The social distance, we all have been advised, requested, even forced to practice is the critical need of the hour. It does not have to translate into emotional distance and isolation. In fact, the exact measure we have been asked to take is physical distancing. Not being out in public, maintaining physical distance from people without or with symptoms, and limiting any activities that include assembly of more three people.

 

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At a time like this, it is even more important to not lose our emotional fiber and cut-off from the people close to us simply because of the lack of physical meetings. Keeping up a healthy emotional connection with not just the family members but also any person you might come across – a neighbor, a grocery delivery person, a medic, anyone, will help us in maintaining the mental calm we all require presently.

 

As bad as the situation due to COVID-19 is, we all have gotten a rare opportunity to sit back and build stronger social fibers and emotional bonds with our family members, friends and even the people we do not know too well but always hoped to. Breaking the monotonous cycle of daily life, especially those of people living in the metro cities, we can utilize this chance to come closer to everyone we have known over the ages.

 

Remember the time when people used to send each other letters instead of simply dialing up someone’s number on the phone? That era has gone but the situation is similar to it. Today, we have technology at our disposal to connect with people from all around the world and nominal to no cost as we all practice social distancing.

 

Staying away from our loved ones or being at home with the people you love for such a long stretch of time have opposite effects. When we spend 24×7 time with someone with confined space, it causes cabin fever, while staying away from the people we love in a scary situation such as this pandemic, causes a high level of fear and anxiety.

 

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To counter both the reactions that we are facing under the lockdown, we must invest ourselves in more than just working on our laptops from home and consuming content from OTT platforms. Connect with people using technology, speak out your feelings and emotions, share the common feelings we all are going through, finish the book you could not find time to read, take an online course in the language always wanted to learn. It is important to expel the emotional energy that builds within us during social distancing and trying new things at home so as to not isolating ourselves from the world.

 

Social distance is to prevent us all from catching an untreatable disease, not to prevent us from staying connected at heart.

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Smile

Coronavirus Pandemic – A Shared Responsibility

Coronavirus Pandemic – A Shared Responsibility

The coronavirus pandemic has pushed India into a state of uncertainty. Healthcare professionals are fighting in cohesion against this disease whose antecedents and treatment options are yet unknown. However, one cannot deny that the unprecedented nature of this epidemic has prompted its people to take a united stand in tackling this contagion. The fight against this novel disease cannot be won unless we assume shared responsibility, though this appears a bit challenging as the high density of population involving a major part living in rural villages and urban slums is at a high risk of being afflicted by the virus spread due to community transmission.

 

The government-mandated lockdown has had a dampening effect on the country’s economy as business houses clamped down on their operations leaving the informal class stranded amidst a sudden job crisis. The unprivileged section was forced to migrate to their villages and towns, thus, testing the states’ preparation to deal with this sudden exodus.

 

Mobilization of Resources

 

To deal with a pandemic of such unequaled proportions necessitates mass mobilization of resources apart from the optimization of those at our disposal. While we applaud the incumbent government’s efforts to contain the virus spread, it becomes imperative for us to come forth and extend help where necessary. The private sector has shown tremendous efforts in helping the government by donating huge amounts to the PMCares Fund, hiking production of sanitizers, masks, personal protection equipment, and building hospitals at short notice besides facilitating food and shelter to the migrant laborers dependent on their daily wages for survival. An increasing number of people are contributing in an individual capacity apart from paying advance wages to their domestic workers and their helpers.

 

Mission Education children receive COVID-19 aid

 

Collective Responsibility is the Key

 

While the government has been ramping up efforts to identify possible the coronavirus pandemic hotspots and test more people to track the spread, we citizens must adhere to government guidelines and take care of all necessary precautions listed for our safety. Exhibit collective responsibility by maintaining the prescribed physical distancing or going outside only to buy essential commodities. While we educate our children about the importance of washing hands regularly with soap and water, we must also consider donating soaps and sanitizers to the marginalized groups to help them maintain personal hygiene.

 

Avoid participating in mass gatherings, overcrowded places or religious congregations is another way prescribed to avoid encountering possible virus carriers, thus, helping stifle a possible plague-like situation.

 

Educate the Vulnerable

 

Most evils in society stem from illiteracy and poverty. Fake news circulating on social media platforms or mischief mongers peddling hate messages have aggravated unwarranted psychological stress among the uneducated and uninformed. As a society, we must educate these people on the latest developments while drawing their attention to essential steps like wearing clean masks, frequent washing of hands, cooperating with healthcare workers carrying out door-to-door surveys and rushing to the nearest hospital on a sudden onset of early symptoms.

 

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Stigmatization and discrimination against coronavirus warriors or frontline workers have put many lives to risk. Educating the masses about how their unprincipled attitude will aggravate the problem is a must. Participating in public awareness campaigns to share reliable information will ensure the implementation of best practices in our fight against this pandemic.

 

Collective Recognition

 

Coronavirus pandemic is a national problem that needs to be recognized and tackled collectively. Flattening the curve can be gained only by assuming collective responsibility to ensure that no Indian remains bereft of health and social policy responses. Extending help and necessary support in the spirit of solidarity will fortify the government’s directed efforts at tackling the disease.

 

Not too many people can remain stoic in a situation like this. However, unwarranted panic will not help ease the situation either. Taking precautionary steps, ensuring timely treatment and following government-issued recommendations in letter and spirit will help overcome this difficult situation within a few months.

 

Smile Foundation is also working relentlessly towards doing its part in providing relief to underprivileged people by providing them with dry rations. The kit will consist of food, medicines, soap, and sanitizer for people to maintain both health and hygiene. In addition to this, teleconsultation of the existing beneficiaries of Smile’s health vertical will be conducted to keep a track of their health. People will be connected with digitally by Smile on Wheels agents and a record of their health conditions will be maintained. They will also be referred to a doctor or medical institution in case of a medical emergency.

 

A situation like a coronavirus pandemic requires us all to come together to help the most helpless overcome the difficulties alongside ourselves. Smile aims to bring together all the communities in this fight against an invisible enemy through communal effort through awareness and aid.

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Smile

COVID-19 Pandemic & its Effects on Women & Girls

COVID-19 Pandemic & its Effects on Women & Girls

With each passing day, the number of cases of COVID-19 pandemic is climbing across the world. Any effective treatment or vaccine is still months away from reaching the masses and in a situation such as this, the only defenses people have against this disease are social distancing and good hygiene.

 

One-third of the world’s population is under severe lockdown with more people being put in home quarantine every day to contain the spread of the virus. A significant population worldwide has been affected severely by COVID-19 pandemic even if they do not have the disease and it does not discriminate against who it affects and how severely. Every person is equally vulnerable before the disease and people with previous ailments even more so.

 

However, the hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic are the women across the world. As per the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), a woman is affected thrice as much as a man due to this epidemic. A working woman with children now is working from home, doing household duties, taking care of kids and now also needs to pay attention to homeschooling her children to prevent them from having a mental breakdown from being locked inside the house all the time. This is the “triple shift”, i.e. three times the amount of stress a woman is suffering from due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

As many as 70% of women work in the retail, service and hospitality sector and the lockdown in majority part of the world, a large number of people have lost their jobs, out of which 60% are women. In many developing countries as in South Asia, as many as 80% of women work in non-agricultural jobs in informal employment (ILO report).  These women do not have any legal security from the state to prevent them from losing their livelihood. The poorest are the worst hit. 57% of women who work part-time will lose their jobs in less than a quarter due to the economic slowdown that the virus is resulting in.

 

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Besides the economic toll, women stuck at homes due to mandatory lockdown are also significantly vulnerable to domestic violence and abuse. A UN official reported a spike of 25-30% in domestic violence since February 2020 across the world. Young girls face a possible loss of education due to the lack of digital device making them vulnerable to early marriage and exploitative relationships. Presently, 743 million (UNWomen report) are out of school and adolescent girls are the most at risk of facing gender-based violations starting with the loss of education.

 

Migrants and refugees across the world are especially vulnerable because the conditions they live in make it impossible for them to practice social distancing and the lack of access to water for maintaining hygiene is another difficulty these people face. Women again are worst affected as their need for hygiene and healthcare increases during menstruation and pregnancy.

 

With hospitals working full-time at the highest capacity and utilizing every available medical worker to fight COVIS-19, there is a special risk for pregnant women and women with some critical reproductive ailment. (As per UNFPA) Safe childbirth while protecting the infants from possible infection from COVID-19 poses a possible threat in the developing and underdeveloped regions of the world.

 

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A large bottle of hand sanitizer sits next to a door as fans prepare to enter the arena for an NBA basketball game between the San Antonio Spurs and the Dallas Mavericks in San Antonio, Tuesday, March 10, 2020. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

 

However, the COVID-19 pandemic has proven to the world that every individual is equal in its eyes and in this world. The current situation has also brought has closer to work together as a single unit in this fight against an invisible enemy.

 

The crisis faced by women can be appeased if smart and adequate steps are taken by the communities and authorities. Most governments across the world have made it mandatory for employers to provide paid leaves to the sick and implemented laws to prevent employees from laying off workers. This will help women in handling their finances, in case they are the sole earners in the family.

 

Women representation in decision making about how to handle the situation at the economic, social and individual levels from local to international circles is crucial for effective measures to be orchestrated. Gender-sensitive budgeting, prioritizing healthcare, food security, education, and more is the need of the hour to not let economic and social inequality hamper the progress that the world as a whole can make in coming out of this pandemic.

 

It is important to not let this disease push the world back from the progress made in terms of empowering women across the world. As effectively as this situation is being handled by the government across the world, ensuring that women are not left behind in the process can be achieved easily through a fusion of equity and gender-sensitive policies.

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Smile

World Health Day 2020 – Cheering Medical Workers

Compassionate Patient Care: The Power of Empathy in Healthcare 
Compassionate Patient Care: The Power of Empathy in Healthcare 

The “World Health Day” is observed on April 07 every year. One cannot help thinking of this year’s tagline “Support nurses and midwives”. Aptly considered in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, the crucial role played by nurses in ensuring a healthy society is highly underscored. India is also reeling the effects of COVID-19 as medical workers in hospitals try to deal with the novel disease. In a scenario such as this, World Health Day must be celebrated to applaud the efforts of the masses but most importantly of our medical workforce.

 

A Salute to India’s Nurses

 

Services by nurses are mostly ignored. This is because many people do not realize the extent to which doctors collaborate with nurses before making any clinical decisions. With more people flocking to hospitals to seek relief from the disease, nurses are finding themselves at the sharp end of patient care. The fact that they are at the forefront of the war on coronavirus underscores their valuable contribution to maintaining the society’s health. This World Health Day, we join to applaud the selfless efforts our nurses put into their services.

 

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Stalling Migrant Exodus

 

The economy is in a crippled state as all businesses have closed their operations due to the government-mandated lockdown. The daily wage laborers who lost their sources of income were forced to walk back to their villages located far away from the cities. Sudden wage loss aggravated their already deplorable condition as fear of economic crisis loomed large on this hapless lot.

 

Though the government has no official count of the informal working class scrambling to return to their villages, the recent migrant exodus at the inter-state borders struck at the collective conscience of society. This prompted the government and non-government organizations to take scurried steps in providing them food and shelter.

 

Relying on NGO Support

 

As per an advisory issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the states have been urged to consult various non-government organizations (NGOs) and utilize their services to ensure migrants with a constant supply of food and adequate shelter facilities. Lost and stranded laborers are now dependent on government aid and charities’ help. Some NGOs are now distributing food packets and sanitizers to homeless people while many have partnered with health care centers to ensure their appropriate screening. While alleviation of their imminent state of penury may not be possible, timely support with food and sanitary facilities have furthered the workers’ well-being while lessening their vulnerability to diseases.

 

A Two-pronged Initiative

 

To mitigate the existing crisis, the Smile Foundation (with its headquarters in Delhi) has adopted a targeted approach to reach out to 1,50,000 families by taking care of their food requirements while educating them about strategies and measures advised by the government. The “COVID-19 Programme” designed to take care of essential needs can be defined as a “two-pronged approach”.

 

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Approach 1: Provision of dry ration: Through this initiative, the migrant families would be secured against possible goods security in the event of the sudden virus epidemic. Coronavirus cases have risen sharply in the last 24 hours amidst fears that the estimated numbers of those affected may be higher. This underlines the need to avail these people with foods and other items of everyday use. The dry ration ingredients would be distributed in various phases with the initial phase benefiting migrant families in the coming month and would consist of rice, dal, salt, oil, sugar, masks, sanitary pads to name a few and other essential commodities.

 

Approach 2: Health awareness initiative: Experts fear that three out of 10 migrants may be potential carriers of the virus. To counter the possible spread of this virus and to educate the illiterate about safety measures, teleconsultation would be provided to people dispersed across affected areas of the country. The foundation would make use of the pervasiveness of mobile and internet use to provide vulnerable populations with online medical assistance. Besides, these people would be educated about ‘Social Distancing’ and ‘Self Quarantine’ through digital means.

 

Smile on Wheels

 

The foundation had commenced its services to spread awareness about this disease and equip people with lifesaving information on hygiene and quarantine even before the first case of COVID-19 appeared in the country. More than 180 health care personnel were working on the field to spread awareness among the masses every day through the foundation’s mobile unit “Smile on Wheels” in 19 states across the country. Nearly 1000 communities benefited from this programme as doctors, nurses and paramedics explained to them the urgency of the situation and advised on measures to prevent spreading the virus to others.

 

While there is no vaccine or treatment against COVID-19, Smile Foundation is confident that timely help and a mass effort through responsible action can contain the virus from spreading and overwhelming for the country.

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In The Spotlight

Help the Poor, Support the Underprivileged

Help the Poor, Support the Underprivileged

“Be kind” is common advice that our teachers and parents imparted us when we were small. Too colloquial in use, the word “kindness” never seemed to strike a chord except during highly adverse circumstances. Small and big acts of kindness have gained ubiquity as the world is grappling to come to terms with the coronavirus pandemic that has already claimed more than 30,000 lives and infected nearly 6,50,000 across all countries. The government-mandated “21 Day Lockdown” has forced businesses to close, thus, sending the economy in a slump. Among the hardest hit are labourers and the daily wage earners dependent on their everyday earnings for their survival. While timely intervention by both the Central and State Governments his trying to help the poor and have helped take care of adopted slums across the country, many families and non-government organisations have come forward to feed the security guards, labourers and daily wage earners in their cities. Many start-ups have partnered with charitable trusts to support their gig workers and independent contractors on their platforms to face the coronavirus crisis.

 

Kind Acts from behind the Scenes

 

Not all kind acts, especially by children, grab the attention of the public. And, yet there are acts of profound magnanimity that put to shame even the most cynical minds. Such charitable acts announced to help the poor, help the nation navigating an unprecedented crisis or serve the world unbiased of prejudice have been dubbed as “pro-social behaviours” by experts.

 

Continued contributions towards the “Assistance and Emergency Situation Relief Fund” announced by the Indian Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has underscored the true spirit with which the nation stands together to tackle the coronavirus outbreak. The fund created to allow people from all walks of life towards a healthier India has resulted in many individuals, trusts and organisations donating to help India prepare for a potential plague-like situation. As the government announced multiple payment mechanisms through which one can make donations, many people have quietly donated a day’s earnings to help the poor while the more enthusiastic have gladly parted with their monthly incomes.

 

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Realising the Joy of Giving

 

As India quietly prepares itself for a possible Stage-3 epidemic, many industrialists and boardroom tycoons have come forward to help the government scale up its health infrastructure. State governments are gearing up to ramp their existing capacity for testing, treatment and isolation, given the sudden spike in coronavirus cases. Citing the grave situation that the country may have to face in the coming months, the Tata Trusts has pledged Rs. 500 crores towards timely deployment of urgent emergency resources. Anil Agarwal from Vedanta has pledged Rs. 100 crores while many MPs have promised their MPLAD funds.

 

Many companies in India have pitched in to make masks and sanitizers apart from contributing to various relief funds. For example, Diageo India has promised to manufacture in bulk at least 3,00,000 litres of hand sanitizers across its multiple manufacturing units to cope with the country’s growing demand apart from donating 1,50,000 masks to five state public departments. As states face the need to arrange for more medical facilities, the HN Reliance Foundation Hospital has offered to set up medical facilities to ease the quarantine process for travellers from other countries. Besides, the Reliance Foundation has offered initial support of Rs 5 crores to the Maharashtra Chief Minister’s Relief Fund. As food rationing for the entire lockdown period is a matter of concern, the foundation has partnered with many NGOs to avail free meals to help the poor people across many cities.

 

Doctors and other health care professionals are at a greater risk of contracting the disease from their patients. To aid in their treatment, Reliance Industries has decided to ramp up its production capacities to produce 100,000 masks every day along with other protective gear for medical professionals, “essential” workers and pharmacists at various hospitals. PayTm Founder, Vijay Shekhar Sharma, has also pledged Rs. 5 crores towards the development of medical solutions to fight the potential epidemic.

 

Applauding the Socialist Mindset

 

Simple acts of kindness need not translate to fanfare and attention-grabbing headlines in newspapers and social media platforms. The idea is to share among those who need our urgent support, help the poor who are the most affected.

 

Joining the force with these respected agencies to help and assist in fighting the Coronavirus epidemic with empathy and executing the same efficiently, Smile Foundation is working towards providing dry food rations to people who have lost their livelihood due to the mandatory lock-down.

 

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Smile Foundation is also undertaking the action to not leave behind its existing beneficiaries during this critical period and will provide teleconsultation to them to keep a track of their health. People will be connected with digitally by Smile on Wheels agents and a record of their health conditions will be maintained. They will also be referred to a doctor or medical institution in case of a medical emergency.

 

Coronavirus, is not just a fight with an invisible enemy but also the test of the humanity. A situation like this requires us all support each other, to come together to help the most helpless overcome the difficulties alongside ourselves. This disease is taking a toll on the mental state of every individual and that will have more significant on people than the physical complications that come with the disease.

 

However, it can be fought it we all do our part ; support and contribute towards helping the helpless. Together, we all can come over this situation as better and stronger individuals.

 

To help/support Smile Foundation in this cause you can visit: https://www.smilefoundationindia.org/smile-fights-covid19/

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Smile

Aiding Migrant Workers amid COVID-19 lockdown

Aiding Migrant Workers amid COVID-19 lockdown

When India was put under complete lockdown for 21 days on March 24, 2020, to break the chain COVID-19 transmission, it became an inconvenience for everyone. Amid everything in the current chaos, the worst affected were the migrant workers on daily-wage labor in major cities across the country. The following days witnessed a mass exodus of people with no source of income, no shelter, no food, no water and no means of transport traveling on foot to reach their homes.

 

The lockdown has brought more than 139 million migrant workers on-road walking as many as 800 km to reach their hometowns. These people who earn as less as $1 a day through manual labor in the cities are now left with nothing to stay while most of them have been evicted by their landlords for defaulting to pay their rents.

 

With millions of people on the road, the risk of transmission of the virus is extremely high. The Government of India has estimated that 3 out of 10 people might carry the virus to their native places from the cities. To curb this from happening all means of transports were shut on March 24 and these people were left facing unimaginably difficult circumstances.

 

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To bring the country and its people out of this dystopian situation, all of us need to work together. Each of us who has the resources must contribute towards helping the people left without any source of income and facing an acute lack of food and water. People privileged enough to have the option of working from home can manage to make through these highly difficult times by staying in isolation. But there is no option of working from home for millions of people who have no home at the moment.

 

In a bid to aid these people to make through the lockdown and prevent them from causing a massive outbreak across the country, the Government has set a PMCare fund to provide relief resources to the migrant workers. This includes providing the people with shelter, food, water and every necessary amenity required to survive the 21-day long lockdown.

 

Smile Foundation is also working relentlessly towards doing its part in providing relief to underprivileged people by providing them with dry food items. The kit will consist of food, medicines, soap, and sanitizer for people to maintain both health and hygiene. In addition to this, teleconsultation of the existing beneficiaries of Smile’s health vertical will be conducted to keep a track of their health. People will be connected with digitally by Smile on Wheels agents and a record of their health conditions will be maintained. They will also be referred to a doctor or medical institution in case of a medical emergency.

 

The lockdown has made it difficult for Smile to look after its beneficiaries but we strive not to let them be alone in this fight against the invisible enemy that has taken the world by storm. A situation like this requires us all to come together to help the most helpless overcome the difficulties alongside ourselves.

 

Let’s join the movement to fight COVID-19 together and make healthier and happier India!

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Smile

Mental Health during COVID-19 Meltdown

Mental Health during COVID-19 Meltdown

There is more to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) than what meets the eye. The palpable symptoms of the disease are being battled through effective medical care; however, its pervasive effect on one’s mental health is still being debated. The promotion of mental health during Covid-19 has largely remained neglected in India. While organizations pledged to humanitarian causes like child rights or donating towards poor children’s education in India are plenty, a lot many have failed to seek a collaborative model of care for all children, especially, those exposed to traumatic life events like deaths of loved ones during an epidemic.

 

21-Day Lockdown may Spur Mental Imbalance

 

The rampant spread of COVID-19 among most nations has resulted in more than 5,00,000 people getting infected and nearly 23,000 deaths to date. In India alone, the number of people getting treated for the disease has gone up to 753 while 20 have succumbed to its effects. With no effective drug or vaccine in place to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, healthcare workers and leaders of various countries have urged people to avoid close and personal interactions.

 

India entered a phase of total lockdown till April 14, 2020, following a sudden spike in coronavirus cases as many people jumped essential quarantine measures while more people returning from already affected countries tested positive for the disease. The resulting economic slowdown has hit most Indian workers very hard, especially, the daily wage laborers. This has triggered anxiety and depression in many people that may largely go unnoticed or unresolved due to limited access to mental healthcare facilities.

 

Uncertainty in Living Affects Mental Health of Many

 

As businesses close and people are forced to live in forced isolation, talking about potential effects on their mental health has become imperative. Restriction on movement has left many people stranded and bereft of essential needs like food, water, and transportation facilities back to their families. Adding to the difficulties arising from financial distress, news websites discussing the rising epidemic situation and social media platforms debating on the possible deterioration of existing conditions are likely to take a toll on young minds who would view life with pessimism and continued fear of death.

 

Social Distancing Marring Social Support

 

Every society thrives on social support derived from social togetherness. Mental health during Covid-19 is largely affected due to the isolation of people. The government’s appeal to practicing physical distancing has wrongly been translated to social distancing, thus, leaving a void in many people’s lives.

 

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News of many patients contemplating suicide due to comorbidity of depression with the disease is getting increasingly common. Chances of stress are more for people subject to quarantine with illiterate and unsupportive family members. The heightened sense of anxiety has resulted in an increasing number of people complaining of frequent headaches, nightmares, panic attacks and continued feelings of exhaustion. Doctors treating patients for long hours have often complained of the agony of trying to look for possible cures despite having only a partial understanding of the disease. The rights of children are at times violated as people struggle to survive within limited means.

 

Adhering to Regulations and Recommendations

 

While the World Health Organisation has shared guidelines to maintain mental health during Covid-19, simple lifestyle changes like stretching of muscles and trying simple yoga exercises can have a miraculous effect on one’s health and fitness. Inducing small alterations to your diet can benefit one in the long run. While adjusting to a new routine suddenly may seem difficult, making small tweaks to your daily lifestyle may help. Some of these include:

 

Set a daily routine: Languishing on a sofa or bed will only invite boredom and unwarranted negative thoughts. It helps to make a list of activities that you had missed out during your hectic schedule and then set a routine to accomplish them one by one.

Work from home: Being focused on your work helps to retain sanity. However, while working from your home, choose a space with ample light and ventilation to keep your creative juices flowing.

Take care: Tired of dark spots and blemishes on your face? Well, this forced quarantine may be a good opportunity to try on some new face packs or indulge in cleaning and scrubbing of your old dead skin to give way to a fresh and clear looking skin.

Stay connected: Physical isolation does not mean that you must be cut off from the rest of the world. Use online mediums to stay connected with your friends and loved ones.

 

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In sync with the state regulations and requirements, Smile Foundation is striving to provide its services remotely to its beneficiaries. Given the current situation, the mental and physical health of the people needs constant attention. Addressing the same, Smile is conducting teleconsultation of all its beneficiaries, this includes regular follow-ups on an individual’s health, maintaining a steady record of the patient’s and referring them to a doctor or medical institution when needed.

 

Whenever difficulties like Covid-19 arise, it is the poorest who lose not only the source of income but also the aid they get from various NGOs and agencies working towards their betterment. Smile will ensure that this doesn’t happen and intends to continue its work of bringing quality healthcare to people’s homes with the help of technology. Social and physical distancing doesn’t have to result in emotional distancing as well. Smile will continue to strengthen its emotional bond with its beneficiaries and serve them well in this critical hour of need.

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