Globally, Covid-19 remains a serious health threat, and under-resourced communities are disproportionately vulnerable. The pandemic is having concerning secondary effects, including rising hunger, Says Thought Leader & Business Astrologer, Hirav Shah.

Covid-19 has driven up food prices, compromised jobs and complicated access to healthcare. It is pushing people deeper into poverty, 90% of countries are still dealing with disruptions to essential health services, and an estimated 500 million more people are suffering from hunger.

NGOs must quickly adapt…

Start by listening: to the needy, to the people, to the public, to the deprived, to the underprivileged, to the downtrodden and to the disadvantaged- Tells Hirav Shah.

Closer home, NGOs have been playing a crucial role in independent India, bridging the gap between government schemes and beneficiaries in remote areas. Their advocacy has also contributed to path-breaking laws including the Right to Education Act and the Right to Information Act.

They were pivotal in establishing Self Help Groups that are now an essential feature of CSR for rural development. During the COVID-19 crisis, they have emerged as the first line of protection and relief for the poor, and not just the poor but even those who are disadvantaged, Opines Thought Guru, Hirav Shah.

Popular NGOs:

While NGOs in every region have been tirelessly working on the ground since March 2020, to provide oxygen cylinders, concentrators, food, rations and hygiene kits to the poor, they are also performing the important task of creating awareness about the virus and preventing its spread, educating people on social distancing, helping to combat the stigma, providing shelter and setting up community kitchens for those in need.

Five of the most popular ones are mentioned below…

Mission Oxygen

Mission Oxygen began as an overnight initiative by a community of founders and entrepreneurs across Delhi/NCR to aid and assist hospitals that were running out of oxygen to treat Covid19 patients.

Different members across this community segregated tasks according to their core competencies across crowdfunding, supply procurement, logistics, distribution/demand estimation, amplification and PR with the aim of purchasing, importing and delivering life saving concentrators to hospitals and nursing homes across the city.

Mazdoor Kitchen

Mazdoor Kitchen is a citizen run voluntary initiative, working to provide meals and subsistence to daily wage workers in North Delhi. Run by a dedicated team of volunteers comprising professors, students, artists and people from the community itself, it has been providing meals and ration kits to hundreds of people across North Delhi.

Aajeevika Bureau

Aajeevika Bureau has been intensively involved in providing relief to stranded migrant workers, daily wagers, and their households.Their relief includes emergency food distribution, cash transfers, health care, and helping workers in distress through their labour line.

Aajeevika Bureau is headquartered in Rajasthan, and works in Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra.

Chikka Foundation

Chikka Federation is a United Nations accredited NGO that is carrying out Covid-19 relief work through distribution of ration, masks and soaps amongst the resource less communities of Muzaffarpur and providing meals to some daily wage workers and domestic help who have been rendered jobless in the current situation. The NGO is also carrying out awareness campaigns about the importance of maintaining social distance.

Gautam Gambhir Foundation

The Gautam Gambhir Foundation is extending their support to the marginalized, by assuring that their health care workers stand at the first line of defense. These activities involve the distribution of ration relief kits, cooked meals, personal protective equipment kits, N-95 masks, nourishment supplements, bedding kits, etc.

As India attempts to recuperate from the pandemic’s dire socio-economic effects, NGOs will play a critical role yet again, Opines Hirav Shah, India’s Favourite Business Strategist, Advisor and Corporate Coach.

Continuing to use their capabilities for mobilisation and community engagement in the post-COVID world, NGOs’ social projects and multi-sectoral initiatives of concerned actors will need to be revived to ensure the welfare of the underserved sections of society.

Long-term, sustainable social enterprises will be crucial in vitalising socio-economic indicators and, consequently, bringing India back on track in its contribution towards attaining the global SDGs.

Reorienting attention towards causes beyond the immediate COVID-19 pandemic is an important starting point for NGOs to resume or implement their core programmes for the welfare of the beneficiaries who rely on them. It is essential for all involved stakeholders – NGOs, civil society organisations, the Government, and the corporate sector – to keep long-term social projects in focus, to bring about a sustainable multiplier effect on social, economic, and humanitarian impact.

NGOs in India have been the drivers of far-reaching welfare initiatives and key players in assisting the Government’s social programmes. While they stepped up and continue to provide their resources and services to address issues aggravated by the pandemic, they will be crucial in ensuring people’s welfare and the nation’s development in the post-COVID.

Some NGOs are really doing & supporting crucial jobs today. Others can deliver too, Feels Hirav Shah.