As the country is fighting for survival, with despair being felt across the nation due to the viciousness of the second wave, we are also witnessing superheroes reaching out with their timely and much-needed help. We take this time to highlight once again, the various initiatives undertaken by many companies, NGOs, and citizens to support India during this unprecedented, difficult time in its history.
“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.”
– Dr. Seuss
Kia India Contributes Rs 5 Crore to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority in the Fight Against COVID-19
Kia India, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kia Corporation has contributed Rs 5 Crore to the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA). With the second wave of COVID-19 and the exponential rise in cases across the country, the contribution has been made to support the State and its people in these testing times. Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kia India, handed over the fund transfer document to Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy, Chief Minister, Andhra Pradesh.
Commenting on the contribution, Kookhyun Shim, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Kia India said, “The surge in cases during the second wave of COVID-19 has taken all of us by surprise. As Kia India, we thank the Government of Andhra Pradesh for its tireless efforts in preventing the spread of the virus and extend our support of Rs 5 Crore in the fight against the pandemic. The funds will be deployed towards meeting the increased requirement of essential medical equipment, including oxygen concentrators, ventilators, cryogenic tankers and D4 type medical grade cylinders in hospitals. We will continue to extend complete support to the government and health authorities to fight the pandemic and come out of it safely.”
During the first wave of COVID-19, the brand had joined hands with the Government of Andhra Pradesh in the fight against the global pandemic and had donated Rs 2 Crore of CSR funds to the CM Relief Fund.
While the Indian Government has implemented several measures and announced several aids to tackle the situation, Kia India is doing its bit to stay socially responsible and committed to extending every possible support to the community and is taking all necessary measures to fight the second wave of COVID-19. The brand will continue to support the country and State Governments and is committed to being a partner in the national fight against the coronavirus.
Danfoss Commits to Support India in Its Fight Against COVID-19
To counter the challenges presented by the shortage of oxygen cylinders across the country, energy-efficient technology major – Danfoss India – is working on an industry task force along with the TN Government to procure oxygen cylinders. Upon procurement, these cylinders will be distributed by the Government across hospitals in Tamil Nadu to aid the state’s healthcare infrastructure. Danfoss India President, Ravichandran Purushothaman recently handed over a cheque of Rs 25 Lakhs to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin as their contribution to the Tamil Nadu State Disaster Management Authority in aid of the Government’s fight against COVID-19.
Currently, Danfoss is also working with the Government to set up a 250LPM oxygen plant that will support 50+ oxygen beds at the Government District Hospital near its campus. The plant is expected to be delivered in 6 weeks and commissioned thereafter in 2 to 3 weeks.
Since the first phase of the lockdown, Danfoss India campus has been functioning in line with COVID safety protocols to address the technology requirements of essential services industries such as food, medical, pharma, etc. Their production staff has been provided safe accommodation closer to the campus and they function on campus following all the safety guidelines prescribed by the government. Danfoss employees have also been supported by the 24*7 in-house occupational health centre (functional since 2014) to aid employees and family; a dedicated COVID Helpline where expert doctors address all employee queries; frequent Health Talks; comprehensive insurance coverage as well as reimbursement of COVID vaccine expenses for employees and their dependents, amongst many others.
Danfoss Global has also been supporting India’s COVID fight by working with organisations such as the Indo-Danish Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Denmark, and to date, multiple consignments of oxygen concentrators, ventilators, masks, and other materials have been sent from Denmark, facilitated by IDCC. Danfoss Global has till now contributed 100K DKK towards the procurement and delivery of these essential materials to support India’s healthcare infrastructure.
Chingari App Collaborates with Rotary International and Being Human to Provide COVID Infrastructure Support Through Project ‘Breathe’
Chingari App, one of the country’s pioneering and leading short video app, breathes hope for the tolerant citizens of this nation. Project “Breathe”, an initiative by Rotary Dist. 3170 of Rotary International and Being Human in collaboration with Chingari aims to provide oxygen concentrators in the under-served regions of Southwest Maharashtra, North Karnataka, and Goa. The leadership at Chingari has come forward in serving the community with oxygen supplies across this region that has been grappling to meet oxygen demands for the past few weeks.
Speaking on the plan of action, Sumit Ghosh, CEO & Co-founder, Chingari App said, “Rotary International and Being Human have always come forward to help those in need and as an organisation that believes in building a better future for the nation, we are no different. It is the very time when we have to be there for our people and hence without a second thought we have extended our support to help foster Project “Breathe”. The nation and team Chingari will stand together to overcome this pandemic.”
Under the project ‘Breathe’, Rotary Dist. 3170 shall be procuring oxygen concentrators which shall be handed over to various hospitals in the region. These concentrators shall be used by hospitals as an Oxygen Concentrator Bank for patients under home isolation, thus proportionately reducing their influx to hospitals that are already overwhelmed.
Chingari and Fireside intend to start a fundraiser along with COVIDCitizens.org to support COVID initiatives undertaken by various NGOs across the country such as Rotary.
Speaking on the collaboration, Dr Bharat Pandya, renowned laparoscopic surgeon & Director of Rotary International said, “Rotary International has been in the forefront of carrying out humanitarian projects across the world for more than a century. Rotary during COVID times has spent about $ 35 Million across the globe and $ 5 Million in India alone towards COVID relief measures and medical infrastructure support. We are grateful to Chingari and Being Human for collaborating with Rotary in supporting this noble cause and look forward to partnering with them in future too.”
Deepak Salvi, Co-founder and COO, Chingari App said, “These are testing times for the country and we all must extend our help to serve our people. We must take the battlefront to help our corona warriors. Team Chingari in its quest to help those suffering due to the shortage of oxygen, will be extending its full support as part of its social responsibility and welfare initiative. I urge everyone to come together and help those around you in whatever way you can.”
Citizens Unite Under Banner – ‘India United’ to Mobilise Relief Efforts to Fight the COVID Crisis
As the second COVID-19 wave ravages the nation with a shortage of oxygen cylinders and concentrators in almost every corner of India, alumni from prominent institutes such as The Indian School of Business, Lady Shriram College, Mudra Institute of Communications Ahmedabad (MICA) have come together to procure and distribute oxygen concentrators for those in need in India. Working in individual capacities as volunteers, the group is united by their spirit to serve the country during this humanitarian crisis and identifies themselves as, “India United”. They are a 100% not-for-profit group and are working with leading organizations steering efforts in the space for COVID relief like Swasti, Milaap and the Hemkunt Foundation.
Earlier in May, the team started an online fundraising campaign with a goal to collect Rs One Crore to procure 150 oxygen concentrators on the Milaap platform, and with help pouring in from globally, they’ve raised over RS 98 lakhs already. Thus far, the Group has procured and distributed 63 oxygen concentrators across – Gurugram, Dehradun, Jaisalmer, Saharanpur and Bangalore. Organisations supported include COVID care centres operated by Hemkunt Foundation and partner organisation- Swasti.
Overwhelmed with the generosity they have received and their spirit to serve the country in this humanitarian crisis – they have recently increased their goal to Rs 1.5 Crore and intend to help even more communities and non-metros in the coming weeks with the supply of oxygen concentrators. Their focus is now turning to areas that have now started reeling under the increasing caseload including states like J&K, TN, Goa and Gujarat.
Already at the helm of future procurements, they are currently identifying organisations to distribute 100+ concentrators that will be dispatched to NGOs and hospitals in the coming few weeks.
“We acknowledge that COVID-19 isn’t a race, but a marathon. We aimed to answer the most pressing need at the beginning of May by focusing on oxygen concentrators as an immediate need to reduce the load on the medical ecosystem. This initiative will assist at least 1,000 COVID patients in the coming months and save numerous lives. In the coming months, we will continue to put our best efforts forward to help India combat this virus and give everyone a fighting chance,” shared a volunteer of the initiative.
The initiative has got backing from marquee names such as upGrad Co-founder Ronnie Screwvala, and Twitter India MD Manish Maheshwari, so far.
Toronto Business Development Centre Sends 3000 Ventilators to India to Fight Against COVID-19 Surge
Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) announced it is supporting COVID relief efforts in collaboration with Air Canada and the Government of Ontario by providing urgent medical supplies to the Indian population which has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. 3000 ventilators and other medical supplies donated by the Ontario Government to the Indian Red Cross have reached India.
The Toronto Business Development Centre (TBDC) was asked by the Ontario Government to facilitate the shipment of its donation to India. As the official tally of infections crossed 24 million, the rise in cases is creating a shortage of medical supplies and equipment across the country. “We share a strong and deep relationship with India and we stand with the people of India and its frontline workers during these difficult times. India is the world’s largest vaccine manufacturer and has so far shipped over 66 million doses around the globe. We invite the global community to help India fight the pandemic because unless everyone is safe, no one is safe,” said Vikram Khurana, Chairman Toronto Business Development Centre.
An Air Canada Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner operated a cargo-only flight today with 40 tons of essential supplies from Toronto Pearson Airport to New Delhi. The freight included critical medical equipment such as oxygen cylinders, oxygen generators and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Air Canada also carried 100 ventilators donated recently by the Saskatchewan Government. “When flights to India were suspended on April 22, the movement of essential goods between the two countries was also halted. With this exceptional cargo-only flight, we are grateful to be able to help and contribute to these relief efforts by shipping critical medical supplies. We worked closely with the Toronto Business Development Centre and the Government of Ontario to ensure timely support, in solidarity with the affected communities” said Jason Berry, Vice-President, Cargo at Air Canada.
VisionSpring Raises $1.5 Million for India COVID-19 Response
VisionSpring, the pioneering social enterprise, has secured an initial $1.5million in emergency response commitments for the COVID-19 crisis in India and will deliver more than 1,000 oxygen concentrators and other COVID-19 care and safety supplies to frontline health workers.
Known for creating access to eyeglasses for people living on less than $4 per day, VisionSpring pivoted its operations to emergency response in the race to save lives and slow the spread of COVID-19 in India. In 2020, they provided over 2.8 million units of PPE and other COVID-19 supplies to 161 partners in India, Bangladesh, and five countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.
VisionSpring’s four-pillar response is rooted in meeting critical and urgent needs in low-income communities and within its network of 200 health and eye care partners across India.
1. Personal Protective Equipment, COVID-19 Supplies for Frontline Workers:
It is dispatching 1,000 sponsored oxygen concentrators and has distributed 1.4 million units of PPE distributed within India since the start of the pandemic.
2. Cloth Masks and Hygiene Kits: It has commissioned 50,000 additional cotton masks from the Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) Bharat, totalling 500,000 produced since the start of the pandemic.
3. Handwashing Stations: It has delivered 40 specially-designed handwashing stations delivered in recent weeks, and an additional 200 are being fabricated in Delhi.
4. Infection Prevention Information and Vaccine Mobilisation: It will integrate vaccine registration and hesitancy counselling into its thousands of COVID-safe vision outreach programmes when they restart in the future.
“India’s fierce second wave of COVID-19 has exposed huge shortages in the healthcare system, not least the gap between demand and supply of medical equipment. To help bridge this, we are grateful to partner with VisionSpring to supply 500+ oxygen concentrators to various healthcare facilities as part of our emergency response to COVID relief requirements on the ground,” said Atul Satija, CEO and Founder 2.0 of GiveIndia, the online fundraising platform of nonprofit Give Foundation.
VisionSpring’s response is supported by partners including Warby Parker, National Vision
Inc., The Canary Charitable Foundation, McNulty Foundation, ClearVision, Safeway
Concessions (Siddhantham Tollway Private Limited), Touch of Color Foundation, SEWA
Bharat, World Zoroastrian Organization US Region, Zarin Neville Foundation, International
Medical Corps, and Anheuser Busch InBev.
“Our emergency deployment builds on a year of COVID-19 mitigation activities in low-income communities. The flexible support of our funders and fantastic collaboration with partners has enabled us to quickly adapt. We are meeting the urgent need for COVID-19 treatment capacity now, and are also focused on the long-term public health objectives of prevention and expanding vaccination coverage,” said Ella Gudwin, VisionSpring, CEO.
GE Foundation Grants Help Communities in India Combat COVID-19
The GE Foundation announced US$600,000 in COVID-19 Community Response Grants, which will provide critical funds to enable the treatment of patients with COVID-19. A US$450,000 grant to United Way Bengaluru will support the build-out of 60 intensive treatment units (ITUs) at St. John’s Hospital in Bengaluru, which will provide intensive level nursing and oxygen for up to 600 patients each month and free up intensive care beds for critically-ill COVID-19 patients. A US$150,000 grant to Americares will fund 100 oxygen concentrators to hospitals in need across Vadodara, Noida, Pune, Hyderabad, and Chennai. The oxygen concentrators and associated supplies will support approximately 2,500 patients over the next six months.
“The GE Foundation is proud to work with trusted partners in disaster response to help families in India facing unprecedented challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Linda Boff, President, GE Foundation, and Vice President, GE.
“We believe that this grant will bring timely medical care to critically affected COVID-19 patients in India,” Mahesh Palashikar, President and CEO, GE South Asia.
“At this time of adversity in India where we are bearing the brunt of the brutal COVID second wave, it is important to have a balance between addressing immediate needs and medium to long term needs. I appreciate the response from GE Foundation wherein they have addressed both the needs. The 60 bed ITU at St. John’s is a big step in that direction,” said Rajesh Krishnan, Executive Director, United Way Bengaluru.
“The GE Foundation is among Americares’ most reliable and committed supporters, and thanks to their generous donation, our emergency response team in India will be better positioned to provide health facilities and COVID-19 treatment centres with the supplies they need to protect health workers and care for patients,” said Christine Squires, President and CEO, Americares.
This announcement builds on a US$275,000 COVID-19 Community Response Grant made in late 2020 to the United Way India, which supported the organisation’s “Hungry No More” initiative. The programme set up kiosks to distribute more than 18,000 food kits to migrant workers and families in five cities — Vadodara, Pune, Noida, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. The 7-10-day dry ration food kits helped an estimated 90,000 people, reducing hunger and stress in these areas.
Throughout the pandemic, GE has supported communities across India. Recent community initiatives include working with state governments to implement smart kiosks in Noida, Gurugram, Lucknow, Agra, Varanasi, Panaji, and Bengaluru for random population-based screening of COVID-19. These walk-in sample collection kiosks helped eliminate contact between healthcare workers and suspected patients. In addition, GE Volunteers worked with United Way India to distribute ration kits in Karnataka, Telangana, and Gujarat.
EdelGive Announces the Launch of ‘Grow Philanthropic Fund’ Extending Long Term Support to100 Grassroot NGOs Across India
EdelGive launches GROW (Grassroots Resilience Ownership and Wellness Fund), a one-of-a-kind collective of philanthropists, to support and sustain over 100 NGOs post the distress caused by COVID-19.
As the world is currently reeling under the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been the grassroots networks on the ground that have been the first to the rescue, quickly adapting their programmes to meet the needs of the communities they serve. However, these organisations have faced challenges in their growth and sustenance through the course of the pandemic.
The GROW fund has been institutionalised with the vision to support 100 grassroots
organisations by addressing their needs and by creating future-readiness. Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Manan Trust, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, A.T.E Chandra Foundation, Ashish Kacholia and a few more partners along with Edelweiss Group have lent their support towards this initiative.
“The global pandemic has brought heightened attention on the importance of funding for capability building and future-readiness. For NGOs to be sustainable and resilient, funders
must focus beyond programme costs and enable NGOs to continue their work with
communities across India. Through the GROW fund, I am certain that we will be able to
create scale and resilience for organisations, increasing their impact exponentially, and
further creating a more robust social sector,” says Vidya Shah, Executive Chairperson,
EdelGive Foundation.
“GROW is an audacious and innovative attempt to bring collaborative philanthropy to support and strengthen apex structures for NGOs from all parts of India. We will be looking
to find and assist 100 organisations with the help of our partner institutions and
philanthropists,” says Naghma Mulla, CEO, EdelGive Foundation.
“The past year has been a difficult time for organisations we all support and the communities we care about. If anything, the continuing pandemic re-emphasises the importance of a resilient and diverse samaaj which has been the bedrock of the early response. I am happy to participate in the GROW Fund as a philanthropy collaborative to strengthen civil society institutions to respond even more effectively to future challenges,” says Rohini Nilekani, Founder and Chairperson, Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies.
“Grassroot organisations play a crucial role in social and developmental progress owing to
their deep community engagement and last-mile connectivity. Their incredible role has been recognised by all during the ongoing COVID crisis, however, the pandemic has also created many challenges for the organisations, jeopardising their operations and impact potential. A philanthropic collaborative effort that specifically seeks to support grassroots organisations is the need of the hour, and we are excited to join hands with other donors to support the GROW fund, to ensure these organizations can continue to deliver impact and be future-ready,” says Hari Menon, Country Director – India; Lead, South and South-East Asia.
“The A.T.E. Chandra Foundation is a firm believer and proponent of the importance of funding capacity building needs of NGOs. We are thrilled to be a part of the GROW fund,
where grassroots NGOs will get capacity-building support to grow and scale their impact. We believe that by strengthening NGOs in core areas like HR, Technology and Finance, they will have the right people and processes to work with many more beneficiaries in a long term, sustainable way,” says Gayatri Nair Lobo, Chief Operating Officer, A.T.E. Chandra Foundation.
“Unrestricted and flexible funding is the most useful way to support NGOs. We are excited to support the GROW Fund because it prioritises core costs and capacity building for some of the most promising NGOs in India. We are confident that GROW Fund’s portfolio will play an important role in helping grassroots communities respond to and recover from COVID in the long run,” says Amanda Clarke, Executive Director, Manan Trust.
Over the last 13 years, EdelGive has grown into a grant-making organisation with the core strength of being a philanthropy manager and advisor to institutions and philanthropists. It has a strong track record of identifying and supporting excellent grassroots NGOs to drive growth. EdelGive is looking to use the same experience to collectively enable 100 NGOs
that are impacted by the massive distress caused by COVID-19.
Samsung India Donates Medical Kits, Oxygen Concentrators and Oxygen Cylinders to Karnataka
Samsung India has donated 14,000 Medical Kits, 24 oxygen concentrators and 150 oxygen cylinders to Karnataka, supporting its fight against the current surge of COVID-19.
As part of this support, Samsung R&D Institute Bangalore (SRI-B), the largest R&D centre of Samsung outside Korea, has collaborated with Shrimad Rajchandra Sarvamangal Trust (SRST) for donating Medical Kits to the Government of Karnataka. These medical kits are prescribed by the Government of Karnataka and will be used by COVID patients in home isolation.
SRI-B has donated 14 oxygen concentrators to charitable hospitals working towards COVID-19 relief. These oxygen concentrators, which have been flown in from South Korea, will be used by patients from weaker sections of the society. Another 10 of them were handed over to the Government of Karnataka.
In addition to the aid for Karnataka, Samsung had earlier pledged USD 5 million (RS 37 Crores) to India’s fight against COVID-19, providing donations to the Central and State Governments, and boosting the healthcare sector with essential medical equipment for hospitals including 100 oxygen concentrators, 3,000 oxygen cylinders and one million LDS syringes.
NTT and Affiliate Companies Donate $10M to Support India Through Its COVID-19 Battle
NTT has announced a $3M donation to support the humanitarian tragedy facing the people of India. This brings the total combined donation from NTT and its affiliates, including NTT DATA Services and NTT Ltd., to $10M in relief aid to India.
The donations will support local hospitals and healthcare providers, increase access and transportation to care and boost vaccination efforts to directly support team members as well as the general public.
“Since the beginning of the pandemic, we’ve focused on supporting our team members with safety-first policies, financial support and resources, but as the crisis continues to deepen in India, NTT is joining the global effort to broaden our impact,” said Abhijit Dubey, CEO, NTT Ltd.
Funds have been committed to providing oxygen, medical supplies, ambulances, hospital beds and equipment. The NTT Corporate Social Responsibility team has worked quickly to make an impact across rural and urban communities of India, partnering with local non-profits to distribute funding.
For NTT team members, the company will continue to enable remote work, support essential on-site workers, offers reimbursement for medical costs and family support, provide additional COVID-related paid sick leave, and provide free virtual health visits. As a resource for team members in India, NTT employees also created a COVID-19 command centre to help teammates coordinate medical care, vaccine appointments, hospital beds and transportation.
“Together, we have more than 30,000team members based in India who are a core part of the NTT family,” said Bob Pryor, CEO, NTT DATA Services. “The outpouring of support from our global teams, who have stepped up, leading assistance efforts without hesitation, has been encouraging during these difficult times and a shining example of our culture and belief that we are all stronger together.”
Save the Children India Aids India’s Fight Against COVID-19 With Its #ProtectAMillion Mission
Amid a surge in COVID-19 cases and an overburdened healthcare system, a newborn baby’s life in a small town was saved because of the timely supply of an oxygen concentrator. Save the Children has pledged to #ProtectAMillion children and their families against the pandemic. As part of this initiative, the leading NGO was able to supply a 5-litre oxygen concentrator to a Special Newborn Care Unit in Tonk, Rajasthan, just in time to save the baby’s precious life.
Taking note of the sudden surge in the demand for oxygen and the potential stress of the demand on our rural healthcare ecosystem, the organisation has procured and is distributing 700 oxygen concentrators to public health centres across 11 States. Since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, Save the Children, India has provided critical care and services to underprivileged and marginalised children and their families and has impacted more than 5.57L lives.
In 2021, since the initial days of the second wave, the organisation scaled up implementing its initiatives across 57 districts in 12 States and two Union Territories, aiming to reach the interiors of India where the healthcare system is fragile and ill-equipped. It is providing oxygen support, medical aid, distributed COVID care kits, hygiene kits, at-home care and teleconsultation.
Save the Children India, in partnership with actor Huma Qureshi, is also raising funds for a 100-bed hospital in New Delhi to reduce the burden on the national capital’s health infrastructure. Through their efforts in multiple states, the organisation has been ensuring the safety of our frontline social workers by providing them with PPE kits that come with nitrile gloves, sanitisers and triple-layered masks so that they can safely reach out to the community and make home visits to follow up on the well-being of children and pregnant women.
But the work does not stop at addressing medical emergencies. The pandemic has impacted millions of livelihoods and children across the country are grappling with the trauma caused due to unprecedented loss and grief, migration and disruption of education. To tackle the growing child protection cases, a common fallout of any crisis, the organisation has been linking and referring all cases of children in need of care and protection to relevant government authorities and statutory structures such as CHILDLINE 1098, National/State Commission for Protection of Child Rights. Additionally, it is running trauma helplines for children in certain states, and on average 80 calls are recorded daily.
Speaking about the pandemic response initiatives, Sudarshan Suchi, CEO, Save the Children, India said, “While Save the Children is aggressively working with government agencies distributing oxygen concentrators and procuring resources for hospital beds, we are deeply aware of the enormous impact the pandemic and the months of lockdown have had on the mental health of children of our country and the loss of childhood. Through our outreach programmes, we aim to look beyond the medical needs and address the safety, health and nutrition, emotional wellbeing, education and rehabilitation of the affected children.”
“Considering that many children have lost their parents and guardians during this 2nd wave of the pandemic, Save the Children has strengthened its on-ground response and is working together with government authorities, CSOs and the public at large to save the marginalized from illegal adoption and trafficking that could negatively impact their lives forever. We are certain that our efforts will help us in getting closer to our #ProtectAMillion Mission soon.”
Maire Tecnimont Group Partners With Smile Foundation to Supply 60 Oxygen Concentrators for COVID Relief in India
Maire Tecnimont Group, a global leader in the transformation of natural resources with a strong commitment to industrialising green chemistry and circular economy, will provide support to fight against the COVID-19 pandemic through its Mumbai-based engineering hub Tecnimont Private Limited (TMCPL). TCMPL will support Smile Foundation, one of the leading Indian NGOs, as well as giving direct support to dedicated COVID-19 hospitals in Mumbai. At a time when the city and other states have been experiencing shortages of the crucial oxygen supply, this partnership will ensure the distribution of Oxygen concentrators to support COVID-19 care centres in Mumbai, Dumad – Baroda (Gujarat), Bhatinda (Punjab) and Paradip in Odisha. Such Group’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative is being directly funded by TCMPL.
According to the partnership, Smile Foundation will procure and distribute 10-litre oxygen concentrators to government hospitals for supporting and strengthening the COVID-19 Care Centres in these cities. The requests coming from relevant government hospitals will be identified by District Health Nodal Office and Smile Foundation to ensure these oxygen concentrators are reached to the much-needed COVID patients. Under the terms, a total of approximately 60 oxygen concentrators would be supplied to the hospitals in these cities, and depending upon the requirement more oxygen concentrators and cylinders would be made available going ahead.
The partnership will enable the distribution of double flow oxygen concentrators in order to fit 2 beds at the same time, hence serving around 120 patients. With TCMPL and Smile Foundation distributing about 60 oxygen concentrators, it shall benefit more than 14,000 patients for 2 years, as oxygen concentrators are expected to function for about 2 years.
For Mumbai and its suburb, TCMPL has also tied up separately with two dedicated COVID hospitals – St. Elizabeth’s Hospital (SEH) in Mumbai, and Terna Speciality Hospital in Navi Mumbai – for providing oxygen concentrators, oxygen cylinders and oxygen supply.
Fabrizio Di Amato, Maire Tecnimont Chairman, commented: “A company such as Maire Tecnimont has a strong Indian footprint and works all around the world also thanks to the commitment of our Indian professionals. As our second home, India continues to face challenges from the rising cases of COVID-19 in this second wave of the pandemic, we strongly felt the duty to help hospitals with oxygen concentrators for patients who are being treated at the COVID health centres across several States. We really hope that this supply will contribute to helping the lives of many people who are battling COVID-19. We are committed to the social cause in every country we are present across the globe, as a fundamental part of our CSR effort.”
Speaking about the initiative, Santanu Mishra, Co-Founder and Executive Trustee of Smile Foundation said, “We are extremely happy to join hands with Maire Tecnimont Group, which has risen to the occasion when the country is battling the second wave of COVID-19. With their support, we will distribute the crucial Oxygen concentrators to several hospitals in the country, which will help save lives of many people admitted in the COVID Care Centres.”
CapitaLand Steps Up Aid to Support India’s Fight Against COVID-19
Leveraging CapitaLand’s global network and resources, the first batch of emergency medical supplies comprising oxygen concentrators were delivered to India on May 19, 2021. Over the next few weeks, more supplies will be delivered to government hospitals in Haryana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, including nine ICU beds to Jayanagar General Hospital and the Leprosy Hospital in Bangalore.
Jonathan Yap, President, CapitaLand Financial, who also oversees CapitaLand’s business in India, said: “CapitaLand has been contributing to the local community in India for 27 years, and it is more important than ever that we stand in solidarity with India during this difficult time. This unprecedented global crisis calls for unprecedented unity. We are doing everything we can to take care of our employees in India and stepping up our help to address critical needs across the nation. CapitaLand is mobilising our resources in various countries and in India to ensure that vital medical supplies and support reach those most affected. We have also set up a COVID Care Centre at our business park to provide additional healthcare support to employees, tenants and the neighbouring Bangalore Whitefield community. We are thankful to like-minded partners like Temasek Foundation for joining our efforts to help the vulnerable impacted by the pandemic. Through our collective efforts, we believe that India will emerge stronger from this crisis.”
Vinamra Srivastava, Chief Executive Officer, Business Parks, CapitaLand India, said: “India is going through a trying time right now. We have been working closely with State Governments where we have a presence, to identify the needs of local hospitals and ensure that emergency medical supplies are procured and delivered as soon as possible. Through CHF, our efforts on the ground have been significantly boosted. We are also teaming up with our customers, partners, suppliers and service providers to enhance our support as the situation evolves.”
AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) Cryogenic Tankers Arrive in Delhi for Distribution of Life-Saving Oxygen to Public and Private Hospitals
AG&P Pratham, the City Gas Distribution (CGD) arm of the Singapore-based AG&P Group, a leading downstream LNG and gas logistics company, has deployed its cryogenic tankers in one of the worst COVID-hit States – Delhi – to transport Liquid Medical Oxygen (LMO) across multiple public and private hospitals in the city.
Christened ‘AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express’, the first two of AG&P Pratham’s tankers, with a capacity of 16 tonnes of LMO each, arrived in the State on May 10, 2021. The tankers were handed over to the State Government for the distribution of LMO to the various oxygen-starved public and private hospitals.
Abhilesh Gupta, Managing Director, City Gas Distribution, AG&P Pratham, India said, “The second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic has inundated India’s health infrastructure. To support India in combating this unprecedented health crisis, we have collaborated with the State Governments to augment the scarce supply of life-saving oxygen. AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express will be transporting LMO to the states that are most hit by COVID-19. Starting with two in Delhi, an additional fleet of four LMO cryogenic tankers will next serve the states of Rajasthan, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Multiple groups, organisations and individuals, both locally and internationally, are working tirelessly to support India to effectively rise to the COVID-19 challenge. Through AG&P Pratham Oxygen Express, we hope to reinforce all of our collective determination and effort to overcome the battle with the pandemic and help save as many lives.”
The second wave of COVID-19 broke out in India in February this year. Public records cites more than 3,00,000 new coronavirus cases being reported every day. According to World Health Organization, India accounted for half of the COVID-19 cases reported globally and 30% of deaths worldwide, overwhelming the country’s hospitals, doctors, frontline healthcare staff as well as crematoriums.
The Rug Republic (TRR) and Child Rights and You (CRY) to Ensure Safety of Children Amid the Pandemic
These are terrible times with the second wave of COVID-19 proving to be more virulent. India is already grappling with the issue of child labour and given the loss of livelihoods due to the outbreak of the pandemic, their number will rapidly rise as more underprivileged children will be forced to work and support their families. In such a situation, CRY an NGO is trying its best to keep such children healthy and safe. However, this is a massive task and to achieve this goal CRY needs the support of individuals and institutions. The Rug Republic (TRR) came forward to do its bit. Owned by noted business leader and mountaineer Aditya Gupta, TRR has started an initiative where it will gift people the coffee table book penned by Aditya to the one donating Rs 4000 and above to CRY to extend support to the NGO to meet its requirements to ensure care, protection and education to children amidst these trying times.
At the age of 50, Aditya Gupta had reached the summit on May 22, 2019. He wanted to share what he learnt and found his answer in the book titled, ‘7 Lessons from Everest – Expedition Learnings from Life and Business’. He spent several months conceptualising and writing the book that shares the virtues of preparation, passion, perseverance, mental toughness, and resilience. The coffee table book is a photo essay that also narrates the experiences of the IIT alumnus as an explorer, adventurer, and photographer.
With 350 stunning images spread over 250 pages, the book makes for a captivating read. But more than just the good time it promises to offer to the reader, the book is also encouraging people to contribute to a worthy cause and a burning need of the hour. Every time someone donates Rs. 4000 or more to CRY, The Rug Republic will send the person the coffee table book as a gesture of appreciation. Corporate donors who will order in bulk will get the books at a lesser amount instead of a pro-rata basis. The bulk order will help firms make a significant contribution to CRY as their CSR activity and they will also get plenty of books that they can give their associates and clients as an uplifting present in these times.
The book aims to raise Rs One Crore (approx $150K) for COVID-19 relief through CRY. Every purchase made of ‘7 Lessons from Everest’ directly gets donated to CRY for providing much-needed care and protection for children against the deadly second wave of COVID-19. Donors can directly transfer the money to CRY using the links available on 7lessonsfromeverest.com.
Talking about the initiative, Aditya Gupta, said, “At TRR, we always strive to do what we can to help others. This campaign combines two joys – one of giving and the other of learning through the master tutor like Mt. Everest itself. Climbing Everest is a transformational experience- not only for those who climb but also for those who can share the journey vicariously. Those who come forward to contribute to help the underprivileged children will take home not just their good wishes, but also a world-class coffee table book that can inspire them to overcome life’s various challenges. We want to spread the word so that more people can join us to help CRY.”
Acknowledging the initiative being taken by The Rug Republic, Regional Director of CRY, Soha Moitra said “Pandemic has hit each one of us in many ways but what raises CRY’s concern is its profound effect on the wellbeing of children across all ages and socio-economic backgrounds. For children coming from underserved communities, the impact of this pandemic will be lifelong. Amidst, these unprecedented times such a noble initiative by The Rug Republic is crucial and indeed timely. The support extended by TRR will benefit many children of our project areas to ensure better health, education and protection to the children. We believe this gesture of TRR will inspire many to contribute to bringing positive changes in the lives of our children in these trying times.”
Aditya has been delivering talks at various institutes discussing his experiences and the seven lessons he wants to share with the world. The lessons that Everest teaches us are not just relevant in our daily lives but also the current health crisis. People across age groups have found the book to be quite inspiring, thrilling, and invigorating. Now they have all the more reasons to donate to help the nation in our war against COVID-19.
