COVID-19

Support To People Affected With COVID-19

The COVID-19 Pandemic has brought the world down on its knees – both in terms of health care and economies.  Countries have locked down their establishments and have endeavored to keep their people at home to control and prevent spread of virus.….. but even today there are thousands of new cases emerging everyday world over and thousands more cases not even surfacing.

In this situation, India too has gone through a crisis period. The government has declared a complete lockdown from 24th March 2020 till May 3rd 2020. The Government of India further extended the lockdown period to two weeks beyond 4thMay, with some relaxations. The country has been split into 3 zones: red, orange and green zones.  Red zones are those with high coronavirus cases would remain under lockdown.

The lockdown is a commendable step and we hope this will not allow the virus to spread; but it has brought with it – laying off of workers, no trade / commerce, lack of work / wages, etc. which has mostly effected the poor, particularly daily laborers, domestic workers, widows, unorganized sector of people, the transgender community and the poor working class who depend on their wages for their livelihood.The ongoing coronavirus crisis continues to have profound effects on our society

In this unprecedented and challenging situation,Most. Rev Dr.K A William – Bishop of Mysore, with the generous contribution, cooperation and support frompriests, sisters and well-wishers, has taken the lead to support poor and needy peopleeffected by the COVID19 situation, in collaboration with the Organization for the Development of People (ODP), Mysore, as detailed here below.

  1. ODP has created awareness to more than 5000 people on precautionary / safety measures such as -using face mask, washing hands frequently with soap, using hand sanitizersand on maintaining social distance.
  2. In collaboration with Mysore City Corporation the Diocese of Mysore has provided 1150 meals daily to the poor and needy,for 31 days.
  3. 2500 food kits containing Rice, Wheat flour, Daal, Sugar, Cooking oil,Sambar powder, Tea powder, Salt, Soaps and Toothpastewere distributed to the poor and needy, widows, daily wage laborers, transgender and to unorganized sector of people in various areas / slums of Mysore. Awareness was given on safety measures while distributing the food kits.(The areas covered are Gandhinagar,Lourdnagar, A.J.Block,Karunapura, Kurubarahalli, Belavadi, Nachananahallipalya, Yeraganahalli, Ragavendranagar, GousiaNagar,Kalyangiri, Jayalakshmipuram, Rajivnagar, Hinkal, Jail quarters, Bademakan, Subhashnagar, Bannimantap, Janatanagara, Shanthinagar, K N Pura, Sathyanagar, K.R.Mill, Gayathripuram, Yadavagiri, Pushpagiri, B.M Shree Nagar, N R Mohalla, Halekesara, Kurimandi, Ganeshnagar, Satagalli, Srirampura, Bogadi, Nazarbad).
  4. 750 food kits were distributed in rural areas – Doddarayapete, Kodiugane, T Narasipura, Hulikere, Hunsur, Rathnapuri, Ganjam, K R Nagar, Besagarahalli, Maddur, Palahalli, Maradiyur, Prakashpalya, Anagallidoddi, Mariyamanala,
  5. 200 face masks were distributed to people in Mysuru areas.
  6. ODP has proactively reached out to 1011 people at Chamarajanagar and enrolled them in‘ArogyaSetu’ App as on 5th May, 2020.AarogyaSetu is a mobile application developed by the Government of India to connect essential health services with the people of India in our combined fight against COVID-19.
  7. 11 migrants families from Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra were supported with food grains and also plastic sheets were provided for shelters. Awareness was given by ODP staff on the precautionary measures to avoid COVID 19 infections.
  8. In collaboration with District Administration and Women and Child Welfare department – Kodagu , SHG members were given orders to stitch 8000 face masks, and the women have earned wages at the time of crisis.SHG members at Chamarajanagar have stitched 5500 masks in collaboration with SBI-Chamarajanagar.
  9. The Health Departments of Mysore & Chamarajanagar invited ODP for COVID 19 meetings – on providing awareness on safety measuresand pamphletsfor distribution.

In the forthcoming days ODP is planning to continue giving awareness in the four districts – Mysuru, Mandya, Kodagu, Chamarajanagar districts, mobilizefood / other items for poor and needy families. ODP is also planning to supply agricultural inputs to farmers and skill training to unemployed youths.

Many institutions have supported / collaborated and joined hands with ODP in preparing and transporting food kits to poor and needy people.Our sincere thanks to :

  • Management and staff – ODP, Bannimantap, Mysuru
  • Management, Staff and Students – St Philomena’s Autonomous college, Bannimantap, Mysuru
  • Staff and students – St. Josephs college – JayalaxmipurmMysuru.
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