The coronavirus lockdown has comfortably cooped most of us at home. At the other end of the spectrum, however, a majority of Indians are struggling to make ends meet. These include marginalised communities in the unorganised sector, such as daily wagers, street vendors, construction workers, and laborers, who are terribly affected by the economic and social repercussions of the coronavirus.
With the 21-day lockdown in place, not only have they run out of work but have also lost their only means to obtain a square meal for themselves and their families. No savings and rising costs of vegetables and other essentials has put a major burden on their shoulders. Apart from that, they also are most vulnerable to the disease because of their inability to access hygiene products like soaps, sanitisers, disinfectants, and even clean running water.
6 Campaigns You Can Contribute To Help Daily Wagers In India
Calamities like these, however, help us reinstate our faith in humanity. Various citizen-led groups and NGOs across the country have come forward to help our fellow brothers and sisters in need by providing all the necessary items needed at this point in time. All you have to do is donate to these fundraisers through crowdfunding platforms like Milaap and Ketto. In view of this pandemic, Milaap and Ketto have waived off their platform fees so 100% of your donation goes towards these amazing causes.
1. Help Daily Wage Earners hit by Coronavirus: This campaign started by Luis Miranda, President of the Board of Trustees at CORO, a 30-year old Mumbai-based NGO, will distribute food packages, masks, sanitisers and soap to people who have been hit by the short-term closure of businesses. This NGO works closely with the communities of daily wagers in Mumbai.
The fundraiser has already collected over 17 lakhs since its inception. You can donate to the cause here.
2. Feed the Daily Wager by Zomato Feeding India: This is a campaign started by Zomato Feeding India, which is a not-for-profit managed by Zomato. Their ‘Feed the Daily Wager’ project will provide One Ration Kit to close to 250,000 families across 26 cities across India. Each kit contains a combination of food grains and pulses – wheat flour, rice, and pulses for a family of 5.
You can read more about the cause and contribute to the fundraiser here.
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3. Support The Daily Wage Earner: This is a citizen-led initiative by Riddhi Shah in Mumbai. The money raised through this fundraiser will provide masks, sanitizers, handwashing liquid and soaps as well as necessary items like food packets milk to the slums and kholis in Banganga, Lower Parel, Mahalaxmi Dhobi Ghat, Colaba, Cuffe Parade, Colaba Macchimar Nagar & Dhobi Ghat, Nepean Sea Road.
Donate to the fundraiser here.
4. Help Trans community in their fight against Corona: Again, a citizen-led initiative by Kanaga, this fundraiser seeks to help the trans community, which is one of the most marginalised communities in India. Most of them work in the unorganised sector while many of them are unemployed due to lack of opportunities. The money raised through this fundraiser will help provide essentials such as oil, salt, drinking water, masks, basic medical supplies and soap to 100 transgender persons in Chennai.