As a country with 1.3 billon people and over 25 million Covid-19 cases thus far, India is in a state of crisis that has been worsening since the beginning of the pandemic. With overwhelming numbers of positive cases reported everyday, another wave of Covid-19 has led to a devastating crisis. These tragic events have brought the global community to a point of urgently asking, what can we do to help?
India’s fight against Covid-19
Currently, there are five states registering the highest number of new Covid-19 cases in India. They are Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. Delhi also reported a spike in cases earlier this month, but the region is now experiencing a fall in cases due to preventive measures imposed by the government. As of today (29th May 2021), India has recorded 27,729,247 Covid-19 cases and 322,512 deaths in total.
India is presently receiving global aid in the form of oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders, oxygen-generation plants, masks, and vials of the antiviral drug Remdesivir. However, as India is a vast nation with the second largest population in the world, there are still many areas that require further assistance. With approximately 4,000 deaths per day, Indian nationals from all walks of life are continuing to suffer from Covid-19. Devastating visuals of packed crematoriums and piling dead bodies are continuously flooding our digital devices, while the deadly shortage of medical equipment, hospital beds, and oxygen cylinders prolong the crisis even further.
How can you help?
In such a time of emergency, all willing and able persons are encouraged to offer Covid-19 relief to India. All donations towards these causes go a long way in saving more lives during the pandemic.
However, as many are searching for ways help, the issue of false scams requesting for donations have come to light. Thus, it is of utmost importance to ensure that your contributions go into the right hands and make an impact. Accordingly, to combat this issue, we have listed a number of legitimate organisations that contribute towards Covid-19 relief in India.
1. Donate to Community Based Fundraising Organisations
As the Covid-19 pandemic presents us with an unprecedented emergency, it is difficult for distant donors to evaluate exactly what those affected on the ground need. The effects of the pandemic constantly change, thus what is needed can be identified effectively by organisations stationed in the local areas themselves.
Accordingly, as aid requirements depend on a variety of factors – such as infection rate and access to medical treatment – it is advisable to donate funds to a local fundraising organisation that can identify the relevant needs and carry out broad community-based responses. Some of these organisations include, SEEDS India and CARE. Such organisations collect donations to provide oxygen, home care kits, Covid care centers, and food relief to communities in need. This aid varies according to different locations, ensuring that specific needs in that area have funding.
2. Fund Oxygen Supplies
The lack of oxygen supplies for Covid-19 patients in India has already taken many lives. As reported by BBC, hospitals in India are struggling due to oxygen shortages. The Oxygen Needs Tracker created by PATH approximates medical oxygen needs in low and middle income countries during the Covid-19 pandemic. This global tracker shows that India has the greatest demand for oxygen. According to its estimates, India currently needs nearly 16 million cubic meters of oxygen per day, while the country’s domestic production rate is only 9,000 metric tons.
Smaller hospitals are pleading, saying, ‘We only have a day of oxygen left and [many] people at risk of dying if we don’t get it in 24 hours.’ In some cases, that cry for help is met on time, but in other cases people literally run out of oxygen. … There’s no easy solution.
Ruchit Nagar, founder of Khushi Baby
Many organisations are carrying out lifesaving initiatives to increase supplies and provide further access to oxygen. Give India Oxygen, Oxygen For All, and Swasth’s Oxygen for India are reputable organisations raising funds for this cause. Donors can visit each of their websites to obtain more information on these initiatives and provide donations. With your help, we can help India breathe again.
3. Fund Research on Promoting Mask-Wearing
Even in the midst of another Covid-19 outbreak, some in India are still not wearing masks. This acts as a huge threat, as those who do not wear a mask risk infecting both themselves and others. Due to this, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) – a nonprofit that gathers evidence and develops programs for the poor – is now testing various strategies to increase mask-wearing at a large scale.
Thus far, IPA found that a four-part model is effective in encouraging mask-wearing in rural areas. This model known as N-O-R-M (No cost, Offering information, Reinforcing and Modelling) has helped triple mask usage at a low cost. Currently, the NGO formed a coalition with the Self-Employed Women’s Organization (SEWA) to approach 1 million people in India with this solution. However, IPA requires further funding to procure high quality masks, monitor support, and provide technical assistance to implementors. To help promote the advantages mask-wearing to limit the spread of Covid-19, you may donate towards IPA’s work here.
4. Fund Direct Cash Transfers
The pandemic has led to many lacking financial stability. Accordingly, individuals and families in need are assisted by NGO’s providing them with financial aid instead of material goods. This may not be effective in overcoming health specific issues brought on by Covid-19, but it does provide relief to those who have lost their guardians and a source of income due to the pandemic.
Research conducted by Nobel Prize Winning Economist, Abhijit Banerjee, found that cash transfers during COVID-19 “significantly improved well-being on common measures such as hunger, sickness and depression in spite of the pandemic, but with modest effect sizes.” Furthermore, cash transfers help reduce the level of poverty by allowing low income families to consume according to their individual needs and save more. You can also contribute towards this with the GiveIndia Cash Transfer fundraiser. This initiative provides one-time cash transfers of $400 to low-income families that recently lost a relative to Covid-19.
Volunteer to help India flatten the Covid-19 curve
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.”
Mother Teresa
India is in a dire state of need as the nation loses more and more people to Covid-19 everyday. However, if we all come together during this trying time, we can minimise the losses brought on by the pandemic. We can play an important role in decreasing the fatality rate. We can help India overcome this. Together, we can save a life.
Let’s volunteer to help India flatten the Covid-19 curve.
IVolunteer International is a 501(c)3 tech-nonprofit registered in the United States with operations worldwide. Using a location-based mobile application, we mobilize volunteers to take action in their local communities. Our vision is creating 7-billion volunteers. We are an internationally recognized nonprofit organization and is also a Civil Society Associated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications. Visit our profiles on Guidestar, Greatnonprofits, and FastForward.
