COVID-19 India Project #46130

Coronavirus: Rebuild Lives in India and Nepal

by Karuna Trust

Coronavirus: Rebuild Lives in India and Nepal

Project Report | May 25, 2023
A Journey of Support during and beyond COVID

By Soph Stephens | Digital Fundraiser

In the wake of the global COVID-19 crisis, communities worldwide faced numerous challenges. At Karuna, we have been committed to supporting individuals in South Asia who have been affected, particularly children and women, as they navigate these unprecedented times. This report highlights our efforts and accomplishments over the last year, particularly our BH Amravati project, which focuses on the education of women and girls and how they responded to the pandemic.

Number of Families Reached: Through our dedicated initiatives, we have reached 158 families, providing support to 518 children. Our aim has been to create a safe environment that nurtures their physical, emotional and educational needs.
Addressing Gender-Based Violence: Recognising the heightened risk of domestic violence during the crisis, we undertook comprehensive volunteer training on gender equality, power dynamics, patriarchy, child rights and protection against abuse. The training incorporated thought-provoking drama presentations on crucial topics such as child abuse, child marriage and domestic violence. Volunteers gained valuable knowledge, enabling them to protect and support women and girls facing abuse.

Educational Support and Gap Bridging: We conducted 17 educational support classes, five days a week, aimed at bridging educational gaps. These sessions, held at 15 locations, helped children improve their reading skills, grasp mathematics and enhance their understanding of science. Educational competitions, test papers and the distribution of educational kits further developed their academic growth.
Personal Development and Safety Education: Our extracurricular activities focused on personal development, safety education and cultural engagement. Educational movies, discussions and sports activities create an environment for learning and confidence-building. Additionally, sessions on personal safety and hygiene supported children to reduce the spread of the pandemic.
Community Engagement: We promoted environmental awareness through essay competitions, discussions on climate change and initiatives on personal hygiene and community cleanliness. Library books encouraged the habit of reading, allowing children to explore social reformers and expand their knowledge beyond screens.

Overcoming Implementation Challenges: Throughout the project, we encountered space constraints for educational bridge classes. However, through resourcefulness and community collaboration, we successfully found alternative locations such as temples, open spaces and community halls to ensure uninterrupted educational support.
Collaboration and Support: While not directly related to the project, we collaborated with government-aided schoolteachers, encouraging cooperation between the project and the authorities. This partnership enhanced our collective efforts to distribute government relief packages and support communities in accessing state aid during and after the crisis.
Ongoing Support and Future Endeavours: As the world continues to recover from the impacts of COVID-19, we remain dedicated to supporting affected communities. Beyond our current initiatives, we explore ways to provide financial support, distribute essential groceries and engage in community-building activities that promote sustainable livelihoods, gender-equality and access to education.

The global pandemic has highlighted the importance of locally-led projects that build community resilience. Through our ongoing efforts, we have strived to foster inclusivity, empower vulnerable individuals and create sustainable change. As we move forward, we continue to work alongside communities as they navigate the challenges of a post-pandemic world.

We express our gratitude for your continued support, which has made these accomplishments possible.

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Jan 19, 2023
An update on our Covid recovery project

By Sophie Stephens | Digital Fundraiser

Sep 22, 2022
The Impact of Covid on Women

By Sophie Stephens | Digital Fundraiser

During the covid-19 crisis, decades of work towards gender equality was completely unravelling. 50% of all women lost their job during the multiple lockdowns andwith school closures, 10 million girls were unable to attend school and domestic violence was increasing by the day.

The collective trauma and effects of covid is ongoing-especially amongst women. Due to the stress of the covid-19 crisis, domestic violence is still on the rise and mass shortages of food resulted in women, belonging to certain areas, reporting to be extremely malnourished, especially mothers.In the particularlyeffected households, they are at an increased risk of being trafficked for economic, sexual work or bonded labour.

In response to this, our partners carried out surveys, to identify the most vulnerable households and areas. Then began delivering nutrition dense packages to 1,500 families. Livelihood support has also been prioritised for women who are barely surviving because of the pandemic. After several surveys, two sustainable areas were identified: tailoring/textiles and food processing.Training facilities and courseshave been set up to provide courses on tailoring and sewing. There is a strong local demand for ready made garments and masks as an essential, which they can address.

Another focus of this project was to tackle violence against women.It encourages women to learn their rights and empowers them how to identify, address and tackle such issues at a community level. This started with training on understanding the cycle of violence, how to identify signs and symptoms, associated causes, consequences, legal measures, andunderstanding difficulties that women face during reporting. Moreover, how to address this at a community level, involving men.

“It is normal that girls in our community are not sent to schools after their basic schooling. The same happened with me and I got married at a very early age. But after this session on ‘Asserting against Violence’, I understand the value of education and what difference it can make in one’s life. Also, how important it is for a woman to raise her voice against gender discrimination.” – Feedback from a participant.

We hope you have enjoyed reading the incredible and vital work that is being carried out, which your help is going towards. The aftermath of Covid is still very much here, and we will continue to serve the communities that need this support to repair, heal and thrive.

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