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Second Wave in India

 In COVID-19, Emergency

 

These images are from the last year. They illustrate the emergency actions we carried out to respond to the impact of the pandemic in Mumbai, when strict lockdown left thousands and thousands of people jobless and hunger became as deadly a threat as the virus.  An year later, a rather unforeseen #SecondWave is generating a much greater impact at the health level. Cases with severe coronavirus symptoms and deaths are multiplying, and the health system has collapsed, without beds, without oxygen and with difficulties in accessing certain medicines.

In recent days we have also seen again how thousands of hardworking people are facing the new lockdown and the impossibility of going out to work and obtaining a few rupees a day, once again are leaving their dream city to return to their homes, to their native villages in hope of support networks. They seek refuge, flee from hunger, but the crowds that form, and the long journeys to more remote areas with fewer inhabitants put the health of many people at risk, since the possibilities of transmitting the virus grow with each step they take.

To talk about this situation, yesterday we had a conversation with our Founder and General Director, Jaume Sanllorente, who is discharged and currently recovering from COVID-19 and is in Goa where he had moved to continue activities related to the opening of an anti-human trafficking unit.

You can see this conversation (in Spanish) on our Instagram channel @Sonrisasdebombay. In this, Sanllorente mentions about the main actions that Mumbai Smiles is carrying out these days to respond to the Emergency, very focused on health issues this time. In recent months, the Jump2Justice team has ensured that most of the families we work with have access to the State’s ration cards and have access to food. If there are no delays or collapses, access to food would be almost guaranteed.

One of the main actions which is implemented by the preschool teachers whose role is fundamental, is continuing the online classes. However, these days they are focusing on contacting the families of the preschool children or from the areas where we conduct activities, with the aim of monitoring the health status of the children and their families, and offer quality information on the disease and available health services. This monitoring also seeks to detect cases of abuse and domestic violence against minors. The awareness actions will be extended as far as possible to as many people from the communities as possible.

In the same sense, and as a result of the domestic violence sessions that we have recently organized in our project areas, we are monitoring those situations with potential danger and providing care for those women who need it.

On the other hand, collaboration has been initiated with the municipal and autonomous governments of Mumbai and Maharashtra to help finance the costs of medical and hospital needs.

We will also establish partnerships with specific hospitals, such as Holy Spirit Hospital, with which we had previously collaborated. Just as we are going to dedicate a part of our budget to contribute to the vaccination of the communities with which we work, as well as to the support of specific cases that we are aware of and to which we can respond.

This is the roadmap for the next few days, but the situation is extremely complicated. So once again we ask for your collaboration to finance these emergency actions and face a crisis situation like the one we are experiencing these days.

We will continue to update you about the situation, as well as the actions carried out and their consequences.

¡Collaborate, Donate now! 

 

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