Relief Reaches Weaver Clusters Amid Lockdown

With a county-wide lockdown situation throughout April and now May, DEF’s Covid-19 Relief Warriors worked in clusters across the county to benefit those in need amid the ongoing health crisis.

Under the Digikala project, coordinator Rakesh in Barapali in Odisha made food kits and distributed it in the community. As many as 100 food kits containing 2 kg rice, 2kg wheat, 1 liter oil, 1 kg potato, 1kg onion, 1 kg sugar and masala packets each were made. These were then distributed in the community and to the most vulnerable social group – migrants and daily wage laborers stranded post lockdown. With no possible income generating opportunities, the food kits were able to bring some relief for them.
The DEF team took all possible precautions and followed government advisories during the distributing work and even raised awareness regarding some preventive measures of the disease.

Moreover, DEF’s team in Maharashtra’s Palghar district noticed that while many ASHA workers were coming to the community’s aid, most of them were deprived of any protective gear.

Covid-19 Relief Warriors, who have been continuously manufacturing and distributing masks since the beginning of the lockdown, extended support to the health workers at the grassroots. The team made sure the masks reached every ASHA and Anganwadi worker and thanked them for their service.

While free masks were distributed among the community members, the relief team took special care to distribute them to frontline groups like ASHA workers, security guards, people running shops of essential-items as they are the most vulnerable in the fight against corona virus.

With all businesses and manufacturing units at a halt, DEF’s two weaver clusters – Chanderi in Madhya Pradesh and Barabanki in Uttar Pradesh, have received support to help them sustain themselves amid the crisis. Attempts to keep the weavers in business by giving them small orders and mask stitching work has been done. Digital workshops to help raise awareness about preventive measures, distributing of essential items like soap, hand-wash, sanitizer and ration has also been done.

Although the deafening silence of the looms has left many weavers disheartened and worried, they have continued to stay at home and follow government advisories.