Helping Point is working actively to provide support to its local communities as India remains under lockdown to slow the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The official lockdown began on March 24th and has been extended until May 17th. Last week five cases were confirmed in Srikakulam district in Andhra Pradesh, including a few cases very close to the town of Hiramandalam where Helping Point India’s office is based.
Districts in India are classified as Red (hot spot), Orange or Green zones, dependent on the number of cases of COVID-19. Srikakulam district is currently classed as an Orange zone, meaning that it is in complete shutdown and only essential services are available. There are currently no confirmed cases in Helping Point’s other immediate communities, most of which are in designated Green zones, meaning a slight relaxation of lockdown restrictions.
The charity’s normal operations closed just ahead of the shutdown on March 24th, and Helping Point is abiding with all government regulations. St Simon’s School and Jhola Children’s Home kids are staying with their parents or extended families. Our staff are regularly in contact with the children to check how they are doing and to see if they or their families need any assistance. Some communication lines are currently down, but Gajapati district (where St Simon’s is based) is a Green zone so our staff can visit in person as needed whilst maintaining physical distancing.
Helping Point staff distribute bags of groceries, masks, soap and gloves from our office in Hiramandalam
Helping Point has already initiated relief programs from a number of its sites. Working with government authorization, a team of 20 Helping Point employees is distributing relief materials in Srikakulam city, Hiramandalam, Jhola, Lo Penta and Liviri. While it is more difficult to assist those in Orange or Red zones, Helping Point is contacting community leaders in those locations to ensure that essential aid reaches those in need.
St Simon’s school building will be turned into a temporary quarantine location for migrant labourers returning to their areas of birth from the cities. So far there have been three visits from the authorities to prepare to turn the school into a 100-bed centre.
Helping Point also plans to assist 800 local families who have lost their daily incomes due to the lockdown. These relief efforts will ensure that they receive an ongoing supply of groceries and other essential items over the coming weeks while they are unable to work.
Helping Point is providing the following assistance:
Providing cooked meals to individuals unable to prepare food themselves; this includes migrant workers returning home. In the first five days of the program, around 1,000 cooked meals were given to people in Srikakulam and Liviri.
Distributing bags containing food and other essential items such as soap. In the first five days of the program Helping Point provided 450 care bags.
Providing face masks, hand sanitizer gel and disposable gloves from a number of sites.
Communicating accurate information and advice in relation to COVID-19.
Helping Point is also working with local authorities to ensure that all community members have the information they need to stay safe and protected. This includes how to maintain social distancing when there are added challenges such as sharing a communal well, and effective hand sanitation when there is no running water.
Our on-the-ground staff continue to use personal protective equipment to protect their safety while working tirelessly to serve others. Please pray for their ongoing health and security, and for everyone in Helping Point’s communities.
We are assessing the situation daily and planning ongoing relief efforts to respond to the changing situation as quickly as possible. We have not yet launched a formal fundraising campaign, but we welcome additional support at this time to empower us to act as quickly as needed.