OdishaPlus Bureau
The members of Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) spread across 8 districts of Odisha including Malkangiri and Mayurbhanj have reached out to scores of Corona pandemic affected people with the motive to supplement the state government’s efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve.
As many as 275 Community Volunteers (CVs), virtually oriented and engaged with the Gram Panchayats, have been organising mass awareness drive, tracking of returnee migrants, assisting in managing Temporary Medical Centres-TMCs (32) and PDS distribution. They have also undertaken awareness programmes in 1307 communities on socio-physical distancing and demonstration of hand wash practices. A 19-day drone pilot training was also organized for 11 trainees including government staff and university students that has led local youths to acquire tech-skills.
The community volunteers are actively involved in the distribution of survival kits with dry food items to 7158 vulnerable households including migrant labourers, families dependent on Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP) collection and socio-economically distressed households; 3755 most vulnerable slum dwellers including domestic workers, dibyangas, rag pickers, sanitation and safai workers, rickshaw pullers and auto drivers living under Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation.
Direct cash support of Rs 5000 per family to 94 daily labourers was provided through Bank Transfer in coastal blocks of Brahmagiri and Krushnaprasad of Puri district. Besides, market linkage facilitation with the support of Odisha Rural Development and Marketing Society (ORMAS) and Odisha Livelihood Mission (OLM) was ensured to 39 producer collectives with 1281 members to sell their summer vegetables.
The volunteers engaged 3556 school children in tribal areas by supporting them with learning kits. The organisation also facilitated job demand for 8075 job cardholders under MGNREGA. Besides, it helped in providing input support to 3797 small and marginal farmers. Hand-holding support has been provided to 690 tribal farmers linking with WADI (plantation work) in 130 acres of land.
At the community level, essential information including Government advisories related to COVID -19, lockdown guidelines, quarantine information and entitlement package have been disseminated to 2,75,146 people through 6998 WhatsApp Groups managed by 2286 Gram Sathinis. CYSD has also started a Virtual Citizen Support Centre (Jana Sahayata Kendra) to help affected people through sharing of information related to Covid-19.
Mr. Jagadananda, Mentor and Co-founder of CYSD said, “CYSD has undertaken in identifying left-out vulnerable households and helping them access their entitlements under various social protection schemes of the government in a timely manner. Use of technology in convergence with Krishi Vigyan Kendras and strengthening Van Dhan Bikash Kendras in coordination with the government are some of the small but significant steps in reaching the unreached communities during the outbreak.”