IMCARES - project Karuna

At this moment and time we all are in need of safety and generally the best way to be safe is in our homes. However in India there are countless homeless people and those who have lost their daily wages due to the much needed government lockdown, especially in Mumbai. Most of these people are on the ‘edges’ of society, fending for themselves on a daily basis. In recent days, IMCARES, in common with many community NGOs, has been approached by the Indian Government to see in what ways IMCARES can help in the relief of hardship caused by the lockdown. This is a significant opportunity for the staff and volunteers of the Mission to reach out to those in need with compassion.

Project Karuna
So, in response to this situation, IMCARES has launched a special project called project Karuna (meaning COMPASSION in Hindi/Marathi language) with the aim to provide basic necessities to people in need.

Although all of us have been under lockdown in their own homes, our staff has been reaching out to the poor and the needy in their own respective neighbourhoods. So far we have been able to distribute relief packets (rice, dal, oil, and soaps) to 175 families. We have been approached by a local volunteer and the leader of a village called Tawa, situated on the State border, to provide daily necessities to 125 stranded migrant labourers who are sheltering in a government school. Also the local police stations and local leaders have approached us for help to poor families and migrant labourers. A team of volunteers have already begun to provide cooked food to over 125 homeless people in South Mumbai.

We have engaged two experienced community consultants to help us with the relief project. These are just immediate relief solutions – we know that the need will grow as the infections take hold within the community and will be even more challenging for the poor in the long run.

Immediate Relief Activities already commenced:

  1. Support to Govt. shelter for 125 stranded migrant labourers in Tawa village in Palghar District at the Maharashtra-Gujarat Border.

Kind of support:

  1. Provisions for breakfast, fruits, etc.
  2. Hand sanitisers, masks.
  3. Games, toys, books for all ages
The Govt. shelter at Tawa Village.
IMCARES Volunteer handing ove
Screenshot 2020-04-22 at 12.51.47 AM
IMCARES Volunteer handing over masks to the Govt. official

2. Dry ration packets to needy families:

  • Distribution by staff in their immediate neighbourhood: 100 packets to 100 families in different areas of Mumbai.
  • 200 packets for migrant labourers stranded in camps.
  • 200 packets for 200 families in slums situated in South Mumbai.
Dry ration packets ready for delivery
IMCARES volunteer handing over the relief material
A woman in the slums with the contents of the ration packet

3.  Food for the homeless: Distribution of cooked food, water and packet of biscuits to over 125 homeless persons every day in South Mumbai (Colaba to Fort areas).

Home cooked food for the homeless poor
IMCARES volunteer delivers the food to a homeless man
A happy child with the food packet and a bar of chocolate
An HIV positive person with ART medicine & a packet of ration

4. Home delivery of Anti Retroviral drugs to very poor HIV & AIDS sufferers: 

Volunteers collect the ART drugs from the nearest Mumbai   District AIDS Control Society station and home-delivers the drugs to the patients at their door step along with a bag of weekly dry rations.

There are many more families and individuals to be reached out   to. We are getting many request calls for help and we will provide as we can find the resources and volunteers.

Target reach: Approximately 50 patients.

5. Providing nutrition to Doctors and paramedics in Govt. hospitals. (To be executed)

Some organisations & Govt. is providing food to the doctors and paramedics but nothing that will help their immunity. IMCARES is planning to provide 50 Doctors and paramedics in a local Govt. hospital with daily supply of fruits. We will also be adding a chocolate bar to bring a smile on their faces.

IMCARES is working along with other NGOs, local leaders and volunteers to reachout to the most needy through the project Karuna.

We already have a permission from the local police and ward authorities to work in the area as well as use our vehicles. We are in the process of obtaining permission for state-wide mobility.

 Staff safety:

All IMCARES staff are working from home and have been advised to take all precautions when they are distributing relief packages in their respective neighbourhoods. All care is taken to provide masks, gloves and sanitisers to all staff and volunteers.

We urgently need your financial support for the following Immediate Relief Needs

For more information write to: timothy@imcares.org

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