The country’s battle against the coronavirus is far from over. We are witnessing the meteoric rise of cases every day. We witnessed nearly 10,000 cases registered in the last 24 hours, taking the total to 2,86,579. We need to step up the defences. This is going to be a long and hard battle and the only way to win this is to collectively fight it together systematically and continue following the strict guidelines defined by the government. Above all, we do so with compassion and thoughtfulness, especially to those left scarred and deeply affected by this pandemic.
Corning India
To support the urgent needs of frontline professionals working tirelessly to fight the spread of the COVID-19 virus, Corning India donated Infrared Thermometers, Pulse Oximeters and PPE kits to public health centres and media professionals and one lakh units of Vitamin C tablets for 5000 policemen in Chakan, Pune. A total of 15 sets of Infrared Thermometers, Pulse Oximeters and PPE kits were donated to the administrative subdivision health officer for subsequent distribution at two Public Health Center (PHC) and 13 sub-centres in the area. Corning has its optical fibre manufacturing plant in Chakan, Pune.
“The world is going through turbulent and uncertain times and such times call for community efforts that can manifest hope and resilience. By focusing on the needs of people most impacted, we can better ensure the health and safety of all communities, said, Sudhir Pillai, Managing Director, Corning India.
“Corning India team’s contribution will support our team’s effort in fighting and ultimately warding off the virus. Our entire team extends our gratitude and thanks Corning India for their contribution towards the safety of our frontline health workers,” said Dr Baliram Gadhave, Tehsil Health Officer.
In line with its community support, Corning India earlier in April provided essential food items for out of work daily wage earners of neighbouring villages to help sustain 100 people for 15 days during the nationwide lockdown.
To support the media professionals working relentlessly to bring out critical information for the public, Corning also donated 80 PPE kits to the local media representatives in the area. Corning India also contributed to PM-CARES Fund and to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund for Maharashtra.
“In such critical times, it is of utmost importance that we support the frontline workers and marginalized sections of the society and support them with the best of our abilities. I am deeply humbled by what our team has accomplished to support frontline workers and communities affected by this crisis”, said Subhajit Das, Plant Manager, Corning Fiber Plant, Pune.
Amid these efforts, Corning remains focused on ensuring the safety and well-being of its employees and supporting the communities where those employees live and work, while serving the needs of its customers.
Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) and Yatra.com
Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) collaborates with Yatra.com, one of India’s leading online travel agency for Vidhik Sewa App, a COVID-19 helpline, to help anyone who needs assistance and requests for basic services.
This app is an initiative of the Delhi State Legal Services Authority to provide, help and aid to individuals in the city. Apart from Legal Services, the app covers crucial services such as food, shelter, clothes, medicines, sanitary napkins, and others. Yatra.com supported this initiative of Delhi State Legal Services Authority in pursuance of its Corporate Social Responsibility to ensure that in these unprecedented times, help reaches to those in need, in all possible ways.
Commenting on this initiative, Manish Amin, Co-Founder, Chief Information and Technology Officer, Yatra.com, said, “At this crucial time when COVID-19 poses a national challenge, we have collaborated with Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA) to develop Vidhik Sewa App. This app act as a platform to provide individuals in Delhi with crucial services like food, shelter, medicines and more during unprecedented times like these. Backed by our strong technologically innovative solutions, we aim to provide a seamless experience to the users of the app.”
Speaking on the association, Kanwaljeet Arora, Member Secretary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority (DSLSA), said, “In the prevalent situation, the initiative to launch the app will help ensure that justice is not delayed and access to judicial service is unrestricted. Additionally, we will extend essential services through the app. This association with Yatra.com for the app will help in extending our services to those in need and unable to avail them physically due to restricted movement.”
The app is available in Hindi and English on Android Play Store. One can follow the subsequent steps to access the app-
- Step 1: Individuals can download the APP from Android play store
- Step 2: Select the language
- Step 3: Enter the details of individual such as Name, Gender, Age, Mobile, Address, PINCODE. We suggest users provide location access so that the application can fetch the exact location and address of the request. Team can reach to requestor on time for support
- Step 4: OTP will be sent on mobile to verify the request
- Step 5: After OTP validation, request for selected help categories is be submitted to relevant officials for further action
Link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.help.vidhiksewa
Kids of LG Electronics Employees Salute the Real Heroes
Since the COVID-19 pandemic started in India, LG Electronics has been a proactive member of society through various efforts like donating meals and offering aid to hospitals and quarantine facilities across the country. Now, children of LG employees have contributed to the cause by showing their gratitude towards these heroes and writing notes of thanks for coronavirus warriors like the medical staff and the Police, who are risking their lives to keep citizens safe. Children from ages 4 to 16 have participated in the initiative, which is exhibited in an e-book here.
There is a calm that can be felt across the pages of the e-book. It’s a child’s view of the pandemic, an interesting and intriguing affair. The pandemic is teaching them the importance of empathy in the face of a crisis. LG is proud to present the creative output of these youngsters, which convey positivity and optimism during difficult times.
LG has always strived to bring the best of responsible innovation to its customers through its products and hopes to help India in fighting the Coronavirus through its various efforts.
Mankind Pharma Salutes Real-Life Hero Akshay Kothawale
Amidst multiple tales of the struggle for survival in the ongoing global COVID-19 crisis, Mankind Pharma has been supporting the communities and frontline workers fighting the deadly virus. The Company has stepped up and offered Rs. One lakh to Akshay Kothawale who runs an auto-rickshaw in Pune. Akshay has been feeding 400 people with money saved for his marriage.
Mankind Pharma has been involved in the country’s fight against the pandemic in several ways. The company has stepped up and applauded the heroic tale of Jyoti Kumari for bringing back her injured father on a bicycle to her home in Bihar. Besides producing affordable medicines, it has donated ventilators, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and medicines to the states. Now Mankind has supported 30-year-old Akshay Kothawale, from Pune who has spent the money saved for his wedding to feed poor and migrant workers who are suffering due to the nationwide lockdown.
Mankind Pharma’s aspiration to become the top pharma company in India is not just about revenues, but also by being No. 1 in CSR activities, and by helping the nation in a crisis. Standing true to its motto of serving people, the company has also donated INR 51 crore to the CM Care Fund last month. In addition to this, all employees of Mankind Pharma have also contributed one day’s salary for the relief fund.
Says Rajeev Juneja, CEO Mankind Pharma, “Mankind Pharma is standing by everyone during this unprecedented crisis. Mankind salutes the selfless service and commitment of Akshay Kothawale during the pandemic. Serving about 400 migrant people for almost two months is an act of a hero. His confidence and dedication must be rewarded. We hope with our little support he can fulfil his dreams and become a role model for others to follow.”
Akshay Kothawale said, “I thank Mankind Pharma for their support and look forward to helping others in such difficult times.”
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has donated 74,328 RT-PCR COVID-19 testing kits worth Rs 13 Crore to help ramp up testing of patients in the country. The Govt of Maharashtra has received about 28,800 RT-PCR testing kits to help in the early detection of COVID-19. Others who received the RT-PCR kits include Indian Council of Medical Research (20,160 kits), Metropolis Labs (8088 kits) and Apollo Hospitals (17,280 kits).
The RT-PCR testing kits consist of nucleic acid diagnostic kit, sample release reagent, throat swab, PCR tube and sample storage reagent. The testing kits are approved by international certification bodies such as CE IVD, US-FDA and EU CE, and are also listed in FIND, a World Health Organization (WHO) Collaboration Centre.
Sanjiv Mehta, Chairman and MD, Hindustan Unilever Limited said, “Sufficient supply of testing kits and other medical equipment will help frontline warriors competently tackle the Covid-19 virus. This will not only allow for free testing in critical regions but also accelerate the process of testing asymptomatic patients, supplementing government efforts to flatten the curve and arrest the spread of the pandemic in the country.”
This contribution comes on the back of 29 ventilators worth Rs 3 Crore that HUL is donating to government hospitals in Maharashtra. Last month, HUL had also donated 5000 sets of PPEs, 20,000 N95 masks, 2,00,000 gloves, 112 pulse oximeter and 28 oxygen concentrators worth Rs 2 Crore to the Maharashtra Public Health Department.
Besides States like Maharashtra and New Delhi which have a high COVID-19 patient count, HUL is also extending product donation and other support across India around its manufacturing locations and offices in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
HUL recently committed INR 100 Crore towards helping India fight the pandemic, undertaking various initiatives to ensure the safety of people and communities, product sourcing, and business continuity. The initiatives include large scale awareness campaigns, providing free sanitation and hygiene products to COVID-19 frontline workers and underserved sections of the society, upgrading health care facilities in hospitals and testing centres, and setting up isolation centres to help local authorities curb the spread. The company is supporting around six lakh migrant labour families with food kits and essential hygiene and nutrition products post-lockdown to help fight the virus.
HUL also partnered with UNICEF and BMC to create a public awareness campaign on social distancing and personal hygiene to prevent COVID-19.
Viraj Profiles
Viraj Profiles, a leading global stainless steel producer with integrated manufacturing facilities, located in Tarapur Maharashtra, has been actively working on the ground to help and support the society to fight COVID-19, especially frontline Corona Warriors through its various initiatives. The company donated 40,000 masks to Mumbai Police at the latter’s headquarters in Mumbai, in the presence of Commissioner of Police, Mumbai – Param Bir Singh.
Neeraj Kochhar, Chairman & Managing Director, Viraj Profiles Ltd., said: “Viraj Group expresses its sincere gratitude and appreciation to the State Administration and various govt. departments and agencies dealing with COVID-19. We are especially grateful to Mumbai Police as they are fighting at the frontline to keep the city and its residents safe. We are donating these masks so that our superheroes remain safe. Last year around the same time, we had donated raincoats to Mumbai Police.”
He further added, “Viraj has always been working actively to help the society to fight this global epidemic. The company has also been offering jobs to the immediate relatives of frontline COVID-19 Warriors like health workers, police, government officials and support personnel who are engaged in the frontlines. As part of our initiative of supporting the healthcare system, we donated 5,000 N95 masks and other materials to TIMA hospital in Boisar. In addition to these, we have distributed more than 500 litres of sanitizers and food packets to more than 12,000 families and in and around Boisar like Vasai, Jwahar, Mokhada and Palghar. Our Corona Task Force is closely monitoring this activity to ensure that we could reach out to as many people as possible.”
Meyer Vitabiotics
As the Covid-19 pandemic continues to unleash chaos across the globe, many of us have had the privilege to adjust to a new normal of working from home and staying sheltered. However, this privilege doesn’t extend to everyone. For over 65 days now, our city’s police force comprising brave men and women have been working day and night to fight the spread of COVID-19. They are at the forefront of this invisible war and are also at the maximum risk of contracting this virus. Building immunity is the need of the hour and in a bid to support our brave Mumbai Police, Meyer Vitabiotics in partnership with Rohit Shelatkar’s Grand Maratha Foundation has come forward to provide them with its Wellman, Wellwoman and Ultra D3 immunity-boosting supplements.
Wellman is scientifically formulated for building immunity and overall well-being of males. On the other hand, Wellwoman is specially made to contribute towards female health and immunity. The company will distribute 40000 units of Wellman and 6000 units of Wellwoman immunity-boosting supplements. In addition, the company will also be distributing 46000 packs of Ultra D3 Vitamin D supplements to the entire force.
Expressing his views, Rohit Shelatkar, Vice-President at Meyer Vitabiotics said, “It gives us immense pleasure to support our Mumbai Police Force who are working day and night to fight this pandemic. Wellman and Wellwoman tablets are scientifically researched and have proven to boost one’s immunity. We want to thank the Mumbai Police Force for their commitment to the cause and extend our care by providing them with our Wellman, Wellwoman and Ultra D3 supplements.”
Meyer Vitabiotics together with the Grand Maratha Foundation humbly support the Mumbai Police Force for their dedication in fighting the pandemic. Truly, they are one of the Real Heroes of Mumbai.
Coronathon India
Paras Chopra and Sparsh Gupta, Co-Founders of Wingify, an India-based SaaS company in partnership with other organisers started an open initiative, Coronathon, to invite volunteers for building solutions for COVID-19. The initiative saw 42 projects from a pool of 111 ideas benefitting 200,000+ people through information websites, accessed by millions of people.
The objective of the event was to develop new technologies that strengthen situational awareness, safety, and emergency response during these unprecedented times. It enabled collaboration for innovating a variety of solutions like 3D printed ventilator parts, websites for requesting and donating PPE kits and to enable senior citizens to request for help and matching them to volunteers in their neighbourhood.
Some interesting projects developed by volunteers included:
COVID SOS, an app that helps connect regular citizens to distressed senior citizens and specially-abled people from their neighbourhood to complete essential chores (e.g. ration, medicines)
Anti-Viral Mask, a unique reusable face mask with next-generation technologies enable them to have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties
PPE Tracker, a digital platform connecting PPE donors, requesters, supplier/manufacturers to attend to PPE requests at the earliest
COVID FYI, a one-stop discovery platform to access authentic COVID information on emergency help and services for your city or state, provided by the verified government and official authorities.
Commenting on the initiative, Sparsh Gupta, CEO and Co-Founder, Wingify, said, “We were very excited to introduce a platform to bring the best brains in the country together to identify solutions to address the most pressing issue of COVID-19 that the country and world are grappling with.”
“It was heartening to see almost 3000 people come together and develop close to 40 projects after I put a tweet to address the current needs of the people of India. I am proud of the projects and solutions launched through the initiative,” added Paras Chopra, Chairman and Founder, Wingify.
Sathish Raghuraman, a Hong Kong-based software developer and a co-organiser, commented, “Our biggest reward was user impact. It was inspiring to see students and professionals voluntarily put in 4 weeks of painstaking effort to positively impact the nation while juggling their other responsibilities such as education, work and family.”
The entire initiative was organised by professionals volunteering their time, including Paras Chopra, Sparsh Gupta, Sathish Raghuraman, Vivek VS, Arun Patre, Prerna Bagga, Akash Tandon, Chandresh Vaghanani, Ankit Jain and Cynthia Rajan. Furthermore, over the 3 Demo Days, projects were presented to panellists of luminaries from private organisations like Google Pay; Investors from Accel Partners, Omidyar Network; government representatives from Innovation Unit of National Health Authority India, UN Healthcare Information Exchange and NGOs including Act Grants.
Spread over a span of four weeks, 42 projects were launched which benefited 2,00,000+ citizens, gathered multiple donors and delivered 50,000 PPEs.
Godrej Properties and Thane Police Commissioner’s Office
The Thane Commissioner’s office has launched a Public Service campaign ‘Humara Sankalp’ – to fight against the coronavirus and to make citizens ready for the same.
Godrej Properties has joined hands with the Thane Police to create and disseminate this message across Thane and Mumbai. As a responsible corporate, the company stands in solidarity with the Thane Police’s efforts to overcome this pandemic and curb the spread of this virus.
The film has been created to spread awareness amongst citizens that the end of the lockdown – whenever it may happen – doesn’t mean that it’s the end of the war against Corona. We all will have to continue following the guidelines issued by the government. While Thane Police is always alert it also wants the citizens to be equally alert and take all the necessary steps for safety and security not just for themselves but for their families too.
Vivek Phansalkar, Commissioner of Police, Thane, says that it is extremely important for citizens to understand that the battle against Corona has to continue relentlessly and people have to be responsible for their own as well as everyone else’s well-being, continue observing social distancing, wear masks, wash hands frequently, avoid crowded places and continue to adhere very strictly to the guidelines laid down by the government.
Mohit Malhotra, Managing Director & CEO, Godrej Properties, said ‘We are happy to partner with the Thane Police in their initiative to spread awareness and continue this fight against the COVID 19 pandemic. The Thane Police team has been doing an exceptional job and have been taking many proactive measures even during this lockdown period to ensure the safety of all citizens. We are happy to support the government in every way possible to help combat this crisis and we urge all the people of Mumbai to stay home, stay safe and strictly adhere to the guidelines set forth by the authorities.”
Video Link: https://we.tl/t-3mN0qEC6pM
Metro Shoes
Migrant labourers are struggling to reach their hometown amidst the pandemic that has brought the country and its economy to a halt. Many of them have chosen to walk towards their homes. The long miles, blistering heat and inadequate food and water have made their struggle to reach home a lot harder. As a lot of migrant workers have been walking with broken footwear and some even barefoot, Metro shoes partnered with United Way of Mumbai and Rotary Club to donate footwear to migrant workers as a part of their ‘Metro Cares’ initiative.
Since the pandemic, Metro Shoes has constantly been involved in measures to support the migrant workers affected by the pandemic. Previously they had distributed ration kits to the migrant labourers with the support of NGO’s like Salaam Bombay Foundation. Talking about this initiative, to support the migrant labourers who are walking, Jayant Shukla, CEO, United Way of Mumbai said, “For the fellow Indians leaving our city, the journey back home is long and arduous. Many of them have to walk back hundreds of kilometres without adequate food, water, rest or even footwear. We are glad that the support of Metro Shoes will provide those who are walking with the basic footwear they need on their journey back home.”
Aziz Fidai, Head CSR from Metro shoes added, “In this time of distress, we aim to enable migrant workers to return to their homes comfortably. Ration and footwear distribution are small endeavours towards the same. We hope to continue extending our support to them, however, big or small.”
Rajendra Ruia, from Rotary Club, said, “We distributed basic and comfortable footwear range by Metro shoes in Thane – Majiwada and Fountain area, under our Jeevan Rath Platform. The on-ground implementation was done by MAHA C19 PECONet- an alliance of development partners with technical support of UNICEF, Mumbai. This initiative by Metro Shoes is praiseworthy as it ensured that migrant labourers did not have to walk barefoot.”
Aviva India and Indian Red Cross Society
The Coronavirus or COVID-19 crisis continues to severely impact communities across the nation. Aviva Life Insurance, (JV between Dabur Invest Corp and Aviva International Holdings Limited), India’s most trusted private life insurance company 2 years running, commits to helping the Indian Red Cross Society, (IRCS), with a range of protective equipment and relief packages to mitigate the Covid-19 crisis. Through this initiative, Aviva India will be reaching out and assisting affected people to combat this disease across 15 states in India that are badly affected by COVID-19 outbreak.
The support to the India Red Cross Society (IRCS) forms part of the £10m pounds committed by the Aviva Group and the Aviva Foundation so that the global Red Cross movement can ensure those made most vulnerable by the coronavirus outbreak can get the right support at the right time.
In line with this, IRCS is helping Aviva Life Insurance, India to donate various pandemic relief packages to the most affected during this crisis. The relief packages include N-95 masks, gloves, surgical masks, thermal guns, hygiene kits, community kitchen and dry rations for the affected communities. The initiative focuses on migrant labourers, tribals, single mothers, senior citizens, persons with disability, children, people living in hard to reach areas, as well as Health Workers, Paramedics, Blood Bank Staff and Red Cross Volunteers.
Trevor Bull, MD & CEO, Aviva India said, “Aviva as a partner in our community stands in solidarity with the nation during these turbulent times, and we are delighted to join hands with the Indian Red Cross and do our bit for Society by providing vital help to the people who need it the most. We, at Aviva, strongly believe that right now we must focus on looking after one another and working together to fight this pandemic. We are putting in our best efforts to support our employees and communities around us so that together we shall all overcome these difficult times soon.”
R K Jain, Secretary-General, Indian Red Cross Society said, “We are grateful to Aviva India for their support towards the larger humanitarian and sustainable goals. Through this partnership, we have the opportunity to address the needs of the less privileged and less fortunate sections of the society as well. At Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS), we are aiming to create a safe ecosystem and help those who are impacted by COVID-19. IRCS and Aviva together believe that we can help several communities and may the best force be with us to fight and overcome this pandemic.”
Migration is a major concern in and around major cities in India, and the restrictions on movement to return to their native homes, due to the lockdown, has further escalated the problem of food, medication, hygiene and shelter. IRCS volunteers are addressing their specific needs and are working to provide food parcels, cooked food and dry rations and hygiene kits to the most vulnerable households and migrant labourers in the temporary shelters.
When the nation is facing unprecedented challenges, Aviva India is enabling ICRS to serve, support and protect Health Workers, Paramedics and Red Cross Volunteers, who are working tirelessly to help those in need during these times.
Vetphage
To help poultry farmers tide over the market crunch caused due to the COVID 19 pandemic, Vetphage Pharmaceuticals, in collaboration with its parent company Proteon Pharmaceuticals, distributed their top of the line poultry feed additive BAFASAL+G free of charge to farmers.
Poultry farms in India were already facing pressure on their profit margins due to the steady increase in feed prices. The government’s decision last year to increase the minimum support prices for soybean and maize, two of the products most commonly used as poultry feed, led to an increase in the cost of production of poultry. At a time when they were struggling to pass this on to the consumers despite demand, the coronavirus pandemic turned everything helter-skelter. When the news of the pandemic started spreading, misinformation spread along with it, and a lot of people were inundated with erroneous forwards that claimed that the virus can be transmitted through the consumption of poultry meat. This caused the demand for poultry meat to drop, and the prices dropped along with it, from over 75 rupees per kg to 5 rupees per kg, in just over a month
Despite efforts by the Ministry of Animal Husbandry, Department of Health and Family Welfare, Poultry Federations of India and Breeders Associations across the country to quell the rumours, the panic had settled in and the public started avoiding meat & egg consumption, which led to a sharp fall in demand, and a huge setback for farmers who depended on farming poultry for their livelihood. “Since poultry is a low margin commodity, it takes over 10 production cycles to recover the losses, which are currently upwards of Rs. 20000 Crores. This does not bode well for the economy either as the industry contributes 6-7 per cent to our national GDP. Considering the dire situation, Vetphage Pharmaceuticals decided to give the industry a push by supplying high-quality poultry feed additive (BAFASAL+G) to the farmers free of cost,” said Dr Ramdas Kamble, Senior Vice President, Vetphage pharmaceuticals.
Vetphage has successfully distributed over 300 litres of the product, valued at over 27 lakh rupees, to 57 poultry farmers across the country. The product has shown proven results when it comes to improving the efficacy of flocks, increasing the bodyweight of broilers, and increasing production performance during the moulting and post moulting phase in layers.
A lot of farmers have already shut farms due to the current crisis and the viability issues. If the current trend continues, poultry farmers will end up facing more losses. Not only will it disrupt their livelihood, but it will also affect livestock production, and have an adverse impact on the market, which will, in turn, affect more farmers and stakeholders. Meanwhile, the institutes that finance players in the industry are looking forward to more concrete policy support and guidelines from the central government so that they can issue fresh working capital to businesses who are looking to revive the slump in their production. With their initiative, Vetphage Pharmaceuticals joins the government and other industry players in their efforts to boost production and sales volume of struggling poultry farmers, and they intend to continue supporting them in the future.
Bharti Foundation
Bharti Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Bharti Enterprises in partnership with Central Square Foundation (CSF), introduces TicTacLearn Content – a repository of learning videos for Maths and Science, specially designed and curated in Hindi, English and regional languages for students. The initiative will provide students with video-based learning resources that can be accessed at home or outside school. It will also support teachers with sound pedagogical tools and comprehensive content library that would enhance the mathematical and scientific competencies of students.
The easy-to-access repository of learning videos, developed by Central Square Foundation and Google.org, will benefit rural students of the Satya Bharti Schools as well as students of government schools under the Satya Bharti Quality Support Program across India. Central Square Foundation is a non-profit organisation working with the vision of ensuring quality school education for all children in India.
Talking about this partnership, Mamta Saikia, CEO, Bharti Foundation said, “It has been our constant endeavour to provide rural children access to quality education through innovative teaching-learning methodologies. Technology and mobile phones, especially when schools are closed due to COVID-19, have helped us in ensuring that rural students continue to stay engaged with education while being at home. TicTacLearn Content is a recent addition in our efforts to ensure effective and continuous learning for our students.”
TicTacLearn is a repository of high-quality digital learning resources that aims to solve three critical aspects of online learning i.e. quality content, engagement and access. These videos are accessible on YouTube as well as on DIKSHA – the National Teacher Platform envisaged as a repository of Teaching-Learning resources and teacher development by the Ministry of Human Resources Development.
Bharti Foundation has been closely working with organisations to promote and enhance the quality of teaching and learning in rural schools and develop them as institutions of learning excellence. Through its education programs for rural India, the Foundation is currently reaching out to more than 2,70,000 students in close to 1,000 schools, including partner Government schools and Satya Bharti Schools, across 16 states and Union Territories.
TikTok
In an initiative to support the communities affected by COVID-19, Swades Foundation and CRY collaborated with TikTok to launch the #EveryViewCounts campaign on the short-video platform. The initiative, from April 25 till May 8, aimed to mobilise the TikTok community by encouraging the users to participate by watching the LIVE sessions hosted by popular celebrities and content creators on the platform. TikTok has donated INR 5 Crore to CRY and Swades Foundation, as a part of this campaign, towards keeping underprivileged children safe during the COVID-19 pandemic and providing avenues for sustainable income facilities for rural families respectively to help them during these unprecedented times.
Nikhil Gandhi, India Head – TikTok commented on the initiative, “During these difficult times, we continue to do our part by supporting organizations working towards providing relief to communities impacted by the pandemic. The teams at Swades Foundation and CRY strive to support the underprivileged sections of society and make a direct impact on their lives. It has been humbling and inspiring to see the participation of the TikTok community in the #EveryViewCounts campaign to spread awareness about the cause. We hope that our contribution of INR 5Cr helps them in their COVID-19 relief efforts.”
As part of #EveryViewCounts campaign, users lent their support by simply watching these entertaining and meaningful LIVE sessions. Several celebrities, music artists and creators such as Genelia D’Souza, Ashish Chanchlani, Remo D’Souza, Ankit Tiwari, Mika Singh, Honey Singh, David Warner, Yuzvendra Chahal hosted sessions to entertain and inspire the users of the platform.
Swades Foundation with the funds received from TikTok is committed to building the livelihoods of people in rural Raigad by engaging them in farm-based activities, animal husbandry or skilling. Some part of the funds will also be invested in scholarships to children to ensure that this crisis does not hinder their aspiration to learn and march ahead to a brighter future.
Ronnie Screwvala, Founder, Swades Foundation said, “We are happy to partner with TikTok in this endeavour to help impacted communities during these unprecedented times. Building livelihoods and helping the community become self-reliant is of utmost priority for us now. We have been in constant touch with our communities since the lockdown and are helping, especially the Adivasi families with food and daily essentials. We look forward to a stronger and a continued association with TikTok as we embark upon this journey to rebuild the lives of people in rural Raigad.”
With lowered immunity due to malnutrition and lack of access to health care facilities, children from underprivileged communities are even more vulnerable. CRY will use the funds to provide supplementary hygiene products, nutrition and food security and tools of education to ensure overall health and wellbeing of the children.
Puja Marwaha, CEO, CRY said, “We’re excited to collaborate with TikTok on their fundraising campaign for COVID-19 and are grateful to get their support in this hour of crisis. At CRY, we’re doing everything to protect India’s most vulnerable communities and their children by distributing hygiene kits and dry rations to underprivileged households. We’re also raising awareness amongst these communities on necessary precautions and available medical facilities etc. in addition to connecting them with government schemes. But it’s a long road ahead and we need all the help we can get. Partnering with TikTok has helped us get the timely support we need – their initiative to bolster our efforts is absolutely wonderful and has come at the right time.”
Yuva Unstoppable
After distributing ration kits to families of about 25,000 daily wagers and hygiene kits to families of close to 50,000 police personnel (Unstoppable Police Project), Indian non-profit Yuva Unstoppable broadens its COVID-19 relief net, distributes Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits to 5000 doctors and paramedical staff. In Baroda, Gujarat, they also handed over some kits to former Indian cricketer and goodwill ambassador – Irfan Pathan who lives in one of the containment zones of the city, and to the Collector as well for further distribution.
“At the moment, frontline warriors are the key to the success of India’s battle against an unprecedented global pandemic. But unfortunately, at the same time, they are also the ones who are most exposed to the Virus and therefore at the risk of contracting the deadly disease. Despite all the support and assistance being provided to doctors and paramedics, there are still many who are left out of the ambit of personal protection. Therefore, after the success of our ‘Unstoppable Police Project’, we thought of expanding our efforts to another set of our nation’s superheroes and we couldn’t have been more satisfied with it”, said Amitabh Shah, Founder, Yuva Unstoppable.
Yuva Unstoppable has paved the way for improving learning outcomes among more than 7,00,000 disadvantaged children of India through its core interventions in health and hygiene, digital education, scholarships, and informal education. Since its inception in 2005, it has transformed more than 1600 government schools in India by building new and better toilets, drinking water as well as hand washing facilities and digital classrooms. It has also awarded educational scholarships to more than a thousand talented, but needy, students to help them complete their higher education.
“As the number of COVID positive patients continue to rise in India, the need for doctors and healthcare volunteers is also going to increase with each passing day. Under such circumstances, even if some percentage of them fall prey to the disease, it will be a catastrophe. In order to reach out to all the frontline warriors out there, more and more support will be needed. Our aim at Yuva Unstoppable is to reach out to as many people as we can with the support of like-minded organizations, corporates and Samaritans. And I am so grateful to the collector of Baroda for all her support and cooperation in helping us realise our vision”, said Parth Vasavada, Chief Philanthropic Officer, Yuva Unstoppable.
Samsung India
Samsung employees across India have put together a voluntary contribution of INR 1 Crore to support the country’s fight against COVID-19. The money raised by the employees will be transferred by the Company to the PM-CARES Fund.
This contribution, voluntarily raised by the employees from their individual salaries, is over and above the INR 20 Crore donation made by the Company to the PM-CARES Fund and other state funds, as part of the commitment to the country’s battle against COVID-19.
The voluntary contribution by the employees is a testament to the same commitment, and takes roots in the Samsung values of People and Co-prosperity, among the other values such as Excellence, Change and Integrity.
The Company remains committed to assisting the local communities in these trying times, and beyond, through various citizenship initiatives. In the last two months, Samsung India has provided hospitals in Noida with medical equipment required in the preventive drive against the pandemic. This includes thousands of Preventive Masks and Personal Preventive Equipment (PPE) kits: Surgeon Gowns, Face Masks, Gloves, Preventive Eyewear, Hood Cap and Shoe Covers. The Company has also equipped hospitals and at other healthcare facilities with a large number of Infra-red Thermometers and Public Address systems. Along with these, Air Purifiers that are vital to improving the ambient air quality in medical facilities, have also been provided.
In Noida, and in two districts of in Tamil Nadu, Samsung has also supported the local administration, local police and migrant workers with daily essentials such as food packets and grocery.
Deliveries of Digital X-ray and Digital Ultrasound machines that Samsung provides to government hospitals as part of its Samsung Smart Healthcare citizenship programme were also hastened. The most recent deliveries of the equipment have been to hospitals in Noida, Rajkot and Pune that have been designated as Covid-19 facilities. The Samsung Digital X-ray and Digital Ultrasound machines have aided in quick diagnostics.
Samsung customers can also carry out hassle-free transfer to the PM-CARES Fund directly from their Galaxy smartphones by clicking on the PM-CARES Fund option on the Samsung Pay application.
