Episode 8: Food and Mask distribution in Ghazipur, U.P.

Food and Mask distribution in Ghazipur, U.P.

Osama Manzar, Founder and Director of DEF spoke with Shatrunjai and Abhay Singh—digital foot soldiers from Ghazipur, U.P.  They have been distributing food packets in the village Nayakdih. These digital foot soldiers have been at the forefront of relief measures during COVID-19 Pandemic and have made use of their entrepreneurial skills to help society.

“Villagers are contributing rice, wheat, potato and oil—and we have prepared food packets to help others who are struggling. Since this is the harvest season, every family in the village can contribute something or the other. Some have even been extra generous by contributing 100 kgs of potato, rice—even bottles of cooking oil etc. So, we are depending purely on community support.

We have mapped the areas based on the number of residing families—and found that the people in Musahar and Harijan (The untouchables) areas are the ones who are genuinely struggling with food—so we distribute 250 food packets in these areas every day.

The villagers of Nayakdih and surrounding areas are very supportive. We have received calls from them asking us to collect dry ration from them. In the last 11 days, we have distributed 5500 food packets. We distribute food packets because we don’t want anyone to hoard essential supplies.

Other than the distribution of food packets—we have also distributed masks to the villagers. 4-5 centres, which are equipped with stitching units—we utilise them to make masks by the girls who work in these centres. 700 masks have been distributed so far, and we have received orders to make double and triple-layered masks from Jhansi and Bundelkhand.”