Intervention of AIM during COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the entire world and has proven to be a great setback to the Global economy. All the sections of the society have equally been affected by the prevailing situation and unfortunately the negative one.From the beginning of Lockdown situation our partner community suffering has been increased day by day. Movement restriction, loss of livelihood and non-access to market worsen the situation. Aim Trust joined hand with Support Group Covid 19 and Zomato Feed India to support communities. Seeing the urgent need we jumped into direct relief.
In context to U.P. India a large scale reverse migration by daily wage earners has been observed. Most of theworkers have started their journey by foot for their villages. Some have to walk around 100kms but some have to walk for more than 1000kms. Most of them are not being able to get food and shelter too during the journey therefore many migrant workers have even lost their life. The other sections of the society are also in no better condition.
In this condition Aim Trust has been providing assistance to the vulnerable sections of our society. Aim Trust has been distributing masks, food kits, sanitary kits, preventive equipment and dry ration to the people who are in immediate need. We are also educating them of the preventive measures for COVID-19 and facilitating access to Welfare Schemes of the government andraising their issues before the concerned authorities.
Aim Trust and IGSSS distributed food and masks to women sex workers in Manduadih, Varanasi, U.P. India amidst COVID-19 lockdown. In the prevailing situation they have nowhere to go and their existence is also not acknowledged. Women sex workers neither have a permanent home nor food and they were also not provided with sanitary kits. Therefore Aim Trust found assisting them the need of the hour and our representatives went to the places they live and provided them with food, masks and sanitary kits because we believe that all the sections of the society are important.
Aim Trust is also working with the Government machinery. Aim Trust with support of CRY-Child Rights & You handed over 2000 masks to Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister Shri AshutoshTandon (Gopalji) on May 12,2020 and suggested the departmental order for using the masks by all vendors as their public exposure is very high hence their safety is very important for battling COVID-19. Aim Trust is advocating the issues of the migrant workers, their children and other vulnerable sections of the society to the stakeholders in power. Like this we are assisting the workers in their linkage with the various welfare schemes of the Government of India.
A delegation of Aim Trust also met Mr. Shailendra Kumar Singh, IAS, District Magistrate of Kheri – U.P. on May 13, 2020 and handed over 1500 masks supported by CRY – Child Rights & You. The delegation also discussed regarding protection of children and reverse migrant workers amidst COVID-19. The team advocated usage of masks by MNREGA and other workers who have started working in groups. During the meeting a concern was also raised about proper implementation of MNREGA, PDS, ICDS, Direct Benefit Transfer and access to other welfare schemes of State and Central Government.
During this large scale reverse migration the daily wage earners are facing threat of hunger and loss of livelihood, therefore Aim Trust has partnered with Oxfam India, Charity Aid Foundation, IGSSS, 9 is Mine, few individuals etc. to support the most vulnerable and we are providing them with food kits in different parts of Uttar Pradesh, India.
Aim Trust is also coming forward and providing assistance to differently abled people of Uttar Pradesh, India. They are one of the most vulnerable people of the society and due to lockdown they have been left staggered, hence we are providing them food kits and masks.
Amidst COVID-19 and large scale reverse migration the daily wage earners who are left behind in cities are going through a lot as well. Neither have they had work nor the hope of reaching their village like workers already on the move. Aim Trust had a conversation with some daily wage earners in Lucknow City about the difficulties faced by them.
Mrs. PoonamKanojia, a washerwoman and her husband Mr. MurliKanojia, a washerman live in Lucknow with 3 children. Ever since lockdown started their earnings has drastically reduced and they are planning to go back to their native place Barabanki by foot.