India is going through its second wave of Covid-19 and it’s been horrific, to say the least. With the COVID crisis worsening with each passing day, the lack of life-saving equipment like oxygen cylinders, essential medicines, protective gear, etc. is becoming more pronounced and is having a devastating effect on India’s healthcare infrastructure. GiveIndia has ramped its effort to help people suffering from Covid-19.
A COVID response fund has been re-initiated to provide life-saving equipment such as oxygen concentrators and cylinders, help with supplies of N95 Masks, PPE Kits, 3ply masks, bedsheets, hand sanitizers, and other resources for critical patients and healthcare workers at hospitals and Covid care centers.
The funds raised will be allocated to donate food to families struggling with hunger in COVID-19’s second wave and help women in need to have a hygienic menstrual cycle by providing them with reusable sanitary napkins. They will also be used to increase the vaccination and testing capacity across the country, in addition to providing cash relief for the families of the deceased.
GiveIndia’s campaign to boost oxygen supply has raised Rs. 6 crores 45 lakhs with support from close to 7k + donors as of April 27th, 2021, and its campaigns for feeding families struggling with hunger and for safe periods for women have raised Rs. 1crore 32 lakhs and Rs. 35 lakh respectively.
Additionally, corporations and brands like Google, Flipkart, Amazon have also partnered with GiveIndia to provide cash assistance to families hit hardest by the crisis to help with their everyday expenses. Actress Priyanka Chopra also started her own fundraising campaign on April 29. In a post on Instagram, she said:
“India, my home, is suffering the world’s worst Covid crisis, and we all need to help! People are dying in record numbers. There is illness everywhere, and it’s only continuing to spread and kill at great speed and scale.
I have set up a fundraiser with GiveIndia, the largest organization on the ground in India providing Covid relief. Whatever you can spare, truly makes a difference. Nearly 63 million people follow me on here, if even 100,000 of you donate $10, that’s $1 Million, and that’s huge. Your donation will go directly to healthcare physical infrastructure (including Covid care centres, Isolation centers, and oxygen generation plants), medical equipment, and vaccine support and mobilization.
Please please donate. Nick and I already have and will continue to contribute. We have all seen how far and wide this virus can spread, an ocean between us makes no difference. No one is safe unless everyone is safe. It’s so heartening to see so many people stepping up to help in so many ways. We need to beat this virus, and to do that requires ALL of us. From the bottom of my heart THANK YOU! ❤️”
To contribute to Priyanka Chopra’s #TogetherForIndia fundraiser, visit https://fundraisers.giveindia.org/fundraisers/togetherforindia-stop-the-spread-help-india-fight-covid-19.
To help win the war on Covid, contribute whatever you can at https://covid.giveindia.org/.
Let’s come together and show this virus what we are made of.
