Visualising the difficulties faced by the community, DAPTA approached it’s donor partners to support the community in the crisis to reduce the negative impact of the lockdown and to ensure food availability in all vulnerable households in the community DAPTA works with. Two of our donors promptly responded to our request. Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiative (APPI) agreed to support 3000 families and Smile Foundation India for 500 families. It was mutually agreed by DAPTA and APPI to support the community with a survival and hygiene kit containing dry ration ( except rice, since Govt. provided rice), soaps and masks. It was decided the survival & hyigene kit would have Arhar Dal-1kg, Moong dal-1Kg, Kala Chana-1kg, Mustard oil-1ltr, Sugar-1kg, Flattened rice-2kg, Soyabin(meal maker)-1kg, Potato-3kg, Onion-1kg, Salt-1kg, Biscuits-5 packets, Turmeric powder-100 gms, Chilly powder-100 gms, Curry powder- 100 gms, Soaps-5pieces and Double layered cotton cloth masks- 5 pieces. Similarly Smile Foundation offered the survival & hygiene which contains Rice-10kg,Wheat flour- 10kg,Patato-3kg,Onion-3kg,Edible oil-1 liter, Chilly powder -100gm,Turmeric powder- 100gm,Chick peas-2kg,Dal- 1kg,Dalia-1kg,Sugar-1kg, Salt- 1kg,Soap-4 pieces, Sanitary napkins – 1 pkt and Cotton cloth double layered Masks- 5 pieces. It was also decided to adhere a standard distribution protocol to ensure and follow Govt. guidelines of social distancing and hand hygiene.

We also mobilized 2 of our SHGs to produce cotton cloth masks in a massive scale and assured them that DAPTA to procure all their produces . Finally the 1 st phase relief operation started on date 15/04/2020 and was finished on 10/05/2020. DAPTA with the support of 2 APPI & Smile foundation through relief work to date reached out 3500 families in the tribal and remote pocket of Lanjigarh Block with few vulnerable households in Bhawanipatna including people from transgender community , maid servants(women), rickshaw pullers .

Activities Carried Out:

• Health education and sensitization at Community level to prevent Covid-19 (Most common symptoms, how it spreads, the prevention techniques of frequent hand washing, social distancing, use of masks, staying at home and registration and quarantine of reverse migrants at GP level).
• Dry Ration Distribution
• Distribution of Masks
• Distribution of soaps and hand washing demonstration.
• Dissemination of important information to PRI members through mass messaging.
• Support to vulnerable children and their families with dry ration hygiene kit (Soap, Mask and sanitary napkins) by CHILDLINE Kalahandi (DAPTA is the district collab agency of CHILDLINE INDIA FOUNDATION).

Output:

• Dry Ration distributed to 3500 families, out of which 3408 no. of families are from 124 villages of Lanjigarh Block and 92 vulnerable families from Bhawanipatna including 19 persons from the transgender community.
• 17335 no. of Cotton cloth double layered masks given to 3500 no. of families in 124 villages of Lanjigarh block including 33 no of vulnerable families in Bhawanipatna.
• 17000 pieces of Soaps given to above mentioned 3500 families.
• Hand hygiene education and demonstration conducted in 124 no. of villages in Lanjigarh Block.
• Health education conducted on importance of Mask use and social distancing.
• Awareness and sensitization on the importance of registration and quarantine of reverse migrant at GP level was conducted in 124 villages.
• Created 5 nos. of Block wise Whatsapp group of women PRI members in 5 Blocks of Kalahandi (Bhawanipatna, Junagarh, Karlamunda, Koksara & Lanjigarh).
• Reached out 43 Sarpanch, 45 Naib Sarpanch and 471 ward members with Covid-19 related appropriate information.
• Reached out 106 most vulnerable children and their families (Rag pickers, Bricks kiln, etc) with dry ration and hygiene kit through DAPTA run CHILDLINE.

Outcome:

• Reduced food security gap during the emerged crisis.
• Increased community resilience to prevent covid-19.
• Increased personal protection level and the family as well. 
• Increased online registration of migrant workers at GP level.
• Increased knowledge on importance of hand hygiene, social distance & mask use.
• Increased use of mask.
• Reduced stigma and myth regarding Corona pandemic.

Women PRI members took lead role and facilitated realization of social benefit schemes and provident (Coocked food for vulnerable families, advance PDS and Pension, ex-gratia for ration card holders, online registration of migrant workers).

DAPTA believes that , the need is immense. It needs more support to offer more need driven intervention to the vulnerable population including the returnee migrant families to survive this pandemic with dignity.

We convey our heartfelt thankfulness to the District administration for rendering their support & co-operation to carry out the activities without any hassle. We are grateful to the Lanjigarh Block administration and more particularly to the BDO Sri Jeetendra Mishra for his continued support and cooperation and accompanying us to one of the remotest village Phuldumer of Trilochanpur GP, even on Sunday.

We do acknowledge the kind support and cooperation extended by the PRI members (sarapanch, ward members , Block chairman) SHG leaders and moreover the villagers in ration distribution and awareness campaign.

We acknowledge our deepest gratitude to Azim Premji Philanthropic Initiative(APPI) and SMILE Foundation India for keeping trust on us and making this happen through their generous and benevolent support.

Read the full Project Response Report here.