In our pilot episode, DEF Founder and Director, Osama Manzar got in touch with Kalyan Akkipeddi, co-founder of ProtoVillage, a prototype of an ideal community living. Set in Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh, the second driest district in India, ProtoVillage is a rural community built for and by the villagers.

In conversation with Kalyan, Osama inquired about their situation, requirements and response. Kalyan mentioned that a hand-sanitizer making unit, along with a station of masks production has been set up. These are being distributed to the frontline health workers, police officers and locals from surrounding villages among others. They are also distributing an essential kit of food items to those in need.

With the local authorities severely underprepared and underequipped, Kalyan stresses on the importance of securing masks and sanitizers, spreading awareness about the disease in the regional language and the measures required to control the pandemic.

Around 200 liters of hand-sanitizers have already been distributed to the frontline workers but as many as 10,000 N95 masks, 7200 surgical masks, 200 PPE kits and 10,000 pair of gloves is needed. He said that securing this will give them the time to build an inventory for future use.

During the DEF Dialogue, Kalyan further said, “Frequent monitoring and assessment through the volunteers and ASHA workers will help us determine the trends in spread, and patterns that will help the administration to deploy resources where it’s needed the most.”

In production are also short video in multiple languages to give information on social distancing, sustaining individuals by growing their own food, do and don’ts amid Covid-19 pandemic and fighting misinformation. Moreover, the primary focus is on building local circular economies.