By C V Joseph
Bengaluru, June 18, 2020: The Bangalore Rural Educational And Development Society (BREADS) coordinates all development works of the Salesians in Karnataka and Kerala.
Besides empowering marginalized children, adults and communities with education and access to their rights since 1993, it works with environmental concerns, and responds actively to help people affected by disasters.
The Covid 19 pandemic is certainly a disaster in terms of its impact on human life and livelihood and continues to take its toll in India. The nationwide lockdowns from March 25 to contain the infection threw the country into chaos.
The immediate loss of jobs and income led to loss of food and shelter for millions of people already living on the edge of survival. Many migrants and daily wagers chose to walk hundreds of kilometres to get back home to some form of security. Dependent on daily wages, their inability to earn during the imposed lockdowns derailed their lives and made them dependent on state and private charity.
Its interventions in Karnataka and Kerala started immediately after the lockdown. BREADS commissioned its women’s self-help groups in Bangalore, Chitradurga, Bidar, Hospet and Kollam to produce cloth face masks.
This was to meet the increasing need of masks especially among the poor. The women of the both the states jointly produced 249,670 masks that were distributed to hospitals, police and health personnel, vendors, and the general public.
Another initiative of the Salesian agency during the lockdown was to provide food kits to poor and needy families. It has so far distributed 20,066 food kits that benefited 85,537 people such as the homeless, daily wagers, sick and migrants. The kits contained rice, lentil, oil, sugar, salt, wheat flour and sanitary items.
Additionally, 110,356 people were provided cooked food packets daily. BREADS organized the distribution of 48,650 ready-to-eat food items to migrants waiting at various locations to travel home.
BREADS also worked closely with migrants in Kerala over the past few years through its Kerala Interstate Migrants Alliance for Transformation (KISMAT).
Its 12 Migrant Help Desks in 11 districts of Kerala responded as soon as private interventions became possible. Working closely with the state administration, KISMAT helped contain the migrants’ panic with numerous visits to house and construction sites. It also conducted Covid 19 awareness through 11 medical camps and 240 programs in various languages.
It distributed groceries and cooked food, reaching 67,746 migrants. KISMAT is also closely involved in organizing the migrants’ return to their homes. As migrants arrived home, they made numerous calls and sent messages of gratitude.
One of them was Ajay Kumar from Bihar, who on boarding the train in Ernakulam said the KISMAT team helped him and his friends with food when they had none to help. The Salesians’ Kerala agency helped the home-bound migrants by explaining things, organizing travel, coordinating with the police. It also provided food and water for the journey. “I salute you,” he told the Salesian team and the Kerala government.
BREADS has collaborated with numerous people to spread the net of solidarity for those in need. With corporate partners, local administration, other NGOs, Don Bosco partners, agencies, and individuals to both give and receive support as the situation demands.
No contribution is insignificant in such a situation of need. Unfortunately, as most know, the situation is not getting better. BREADS is trying to work out the best way to continue immediate support of the people most affected while working towards their long term rehabilitation.