Covid: Feed 145 families living in Bangalore slums

The Covid pandemic has caused major disruptions in numerous systems throughout the world. It has caused loss of income and livelihoods which in turn leads to unemployment and a rise in inequality, disrupted food supply chains causing food insecurity, etc. 

At present, the Covid pandemic is on the wane, however its effects are still lingering. ACT has continually striven to help the children and their families cope with the pandemic and its aftermath on their health and education. 

Our project Covid: Feed 145 families living in Bangalore slums has been supporting these underprivileged families who have been hugely impacted during Covid, starting March 2020 until now.

Health 

To ensure good health, and boost immunity we are providing our families with provisions and protein mixes on a monthly basis.

It is important to have a protein rich diet, since protein deficiency results in weakened immunity, which is directly linked to a rise in the chance of contracting COVID-19. According to the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), each individual requires on average 0.8 g of protein per kg of body weight. The amino acids from the protein in the food are broken down into antibodies, which are the main components of the immune system.

 Protein Mix

Our protein mix prepared by the mothers, is a labour of love. They meticulously clean, roast, sift, pound, measure and package the product that is distributed to everybody. Much love and gratitude go out to these Super-Moms that make it all happen.

The protein mix consists of protein rich ingredients such as lentils and healthy carbohydrates. This mix is made into a porridge with unrefined sugar and milk, and distributed to our children at the school and centre. This Indian porridge provides a delicious and nutritious kickstart to the day.

We are proud to say that none of our children have been physically affected by COVID, in part thanks to the immune boost that our protein mix provides.

Education

Additionally, offline classes at ACT have resumed, it is wonderful to see and interact with the children at the centre. English and Math classes are being taken on a regular basis, in the weekend children have extracurricular activities such as excel classes, karate classes, guitar and music classes. We are also running various programmes such as The Listener’s collective and MAP’s Journeys through art.

We, at ACT, would like to extend our heartfelt and sincere gratitude each and every one who has helped make this possible! 

Post Covid, the unemployment rate has gone up. As per the latest data, the unemployment rate in India is 7.4 per cent, with the urban areas bearing the brunt with higher rates. While investment experts are speaking of a gradual economic growth, the pandemic has actually worsened India’s poverty crisis. As per an article published in the Indian Express, estimates show that 218 million additional people (168 million in rural and 50 million in urban areas) have been pushed into poverty at 12 per cent contraction in their monthly per capita consumption in the year 2020-21. In urban areas, casual labourers disproportionately bear the burden of the crisis - the informal nature of jobs, depressed earnings, and little to no social security have pushed them to the brink of poverty.

Our project Covid: Feed 145 families living in Bangalore slums has been supporting the families belonging to the lowest of such rungs and those who have been hugely impacted during covid, starting March 2020 until now.

Story of a family:

“I had no idea how to feed my family during this COVID lockdown time, because we both had no job, no money, and there was nobody to support us. But ACT provided me and my family with all the basic provisions periodically. I wouldn’t be able to feed my children three meals a day without the support of ACT. The provisions were provided to our family from the ACT main office to our house directly. COVID-19 transmission, fatalities, and loss of livelihood are more likely in poor and marginalized communities living in slums. ACT cared for our families even when no help was provided from the state government’s side. They also supplied protein power in order to boost immunity. Even monetary advances of Rs.2000 were provided to us from time to time.”

                 - Shanti, is a mother of two children aged 16 years and 6 years. She lives in an urban slum in Bangalore. Her husband lost his job during Covid 10 pandemic and since then he is jobless. While she takes care of the other expenses of the family with her job as a housekeeper, the children’s education expenses, medical expenses and the food for the entire family is taken care of by ACT.

ACT has been providing provisions to all the families regularly and kept a check on their nutrition and health by providing the children with protein mix. While the short-term effects of inadequate food includes fatigue and reduced immune response, the long-term developmental, physical, psychological, and emotional harms are deep. To stop further disadvantages caused due to nutrition shortfall, ACT continues to support families. 

We would like to thank every single individual who has been supporting us, standing by us and thereby enabling us to reach food and other essentials to the most needy and deprived families living in the slums of Ulsoor in Bangalore.