COVID-19 Awareness, Prevention and Menstrual Hygiene Related Good Practices
The Covid-19 Pandemic created a worldwide health crisis, but it also brought along a huge learning crisis. Thus, we knew we had to exponentially increase our involvement in the community across multiple sectors to support those most in need. Continuing our efforts towards digital literacy, Aan in collaboration with the Digital Reading Foundation (a subsidiary of Worldreader), implemented the Keep Children reading initiative – which targeted the under-resourced households to enable them to make sure that their children have access to education. We also planned out Menstrual Hygiene workshops to support women and girls who had decreased access to sanitary products due to the lockdowns in place. Our relief efforts also helped the District Administration disseminate the personal hygiene etiquettes amongst the most vulnerable sections of the society.
To highlight our work in brief, we undertook the following innovative and impactful response programs through multiple events under each of these to combat Covid -19 crisis:
- Distribution of Dry Ration, Hygiene Kits, sanitizer, Masks, PPE Kits, and corona kits to the needy households.
- Prioritizing Menstrual Hygiene in U.S Nagar district
- Periods don’t stop for Pandemic – Distribution of Dignity Kits (Menstrual Hygiene Kits) to the migrant laborers and women of underserved communities.
- No shame in Menstruation-Period Lesson
- Digital Literacy Program – Keep Children Reading
- Project Samvedna – Mobilizing home isolation relief material for the remote hill districts of Uttarakhand.
Table of Contents
About the Co-founder & Managing Trustee
“I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the waters to create many ripples.”
Namita Gupta is the co-founder and managing trustee of non-profit organization Aan Charitable Trust, Kashipur, Udhamsingh Nagar. Currently working as the coordinator of FICCI Flo’s ‘Empowering the Greater 50 Campaign’ in Kumaon Region, she had previously also taken the role of Coordinator for the Skilling Committee, Kumaon Region of FICCI FLO Uttarakhand Chapter 2019-20 & 2020-21. Pursuing her Master’s in social work at Uttarakhand Open University, she is passionate about making a positive impact as Uttarakhand’s Assistant Co-coordinator National Council for Social Work Education (Kumaon Region).
An experienced Entrepreneur and Administrator, she is an energetic and goal-oriented individual with a responsible approach to life’s tasks, both professional and personal. Her strength has been her ability to be empathetic and creatively solve problems by collaborating with all stakeholders. She has been using her voice and platform to motivate today’s youth to become changemakers and actively participate in community service.
Since the start of the outbreak in December 2019, the new coronavirus has spread to over 182 countries and territories. Massive shutdowns, migration, and loss of livelihood have affected families across India. In the past year and a half, Namita led Team Aan to undertake several Covid-19 emergency rapid responses to mobilize resources to ease out situations for marginalized sections of society throughout Uttarakhand. She prioritized the urgent needs of the communities within Udham Singh Nagar and launched efforts immediately after the pandemic hit Uttarakhand in April 2020.
Covid relief efforts Implemented 2020-2021
1. Ration Kits and Sanitizers for Newspaper Hawkers:
Namita acknowledged the hardships faced by newspaper hawkers of Amar Ujala, Kashipur and successfully raised funds to distribute 1 month worth of dry ration kits and sanitisers to 200 beneficiaries till date.
2. Distribution of 500 Personal Hygiene Kits:
Distribution at Model School, BRC Campus Kashipur and other needy communities. A very successful crowdfunding was done by team members of Aan, helping procure resources to put together a Hygiene kit for the children of class 1st to 5th of primary government school, Chaiti farm. Parents were Counselled about the dangers of Coronavirus spread amongst children and the significance of preventive measures.
3. Distribution of 100 Hygiene Kits:
Relief Camps set up for displaced migrant workers through the SDM- BSV Inter College Jaspur & GB Pant Inter College Kashipur – containing daily necessity items needed for cleansing (bathing soap, detergent, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrush, and sanitiser). Counselling Session conducted for the migrant workers to assist them in coping up with this Covid19 emergency and how to use their time in productive activities.
4. Distribution of Face Shields and Sanitizers:
Namita along with her team expressed gratitude towards the Rapid Response Team of Kashipur by contributing 25 Face Shields and 25 Sanitisers for their front-line workers through ASP Rajesh Bhatt.
Women Empowerment & Skill Development
1. Skill Development workshop and Counselling session:
Namita enabled Skill development programs at Surbhi Gramodyog Vikas Sansthan, a pioneer in Khadi herbal handmade cosmetics. 15 women were trained in the manufacturing and packaging of herbal soaps, lotion, oils, shampoos, and other premium range of toiletries. Along with her team of volunteers, she also conducted an awareness workshop at SGVS where they:
- Distributed Masks and Gloves to workers.
- Conducted a counseling session on how to work in a socially distanced way and what protocols to follow during this tough period of COVID-19.
- Communicated the dangers of coronavirus and the significance of preventive measures.
2. Distribution of Personal Hygiene kits:
Namita collaborated with resource persons of Azim Premji Foundation to distribute Personal Hygiene Kits to the people of needy communities, Govt Covid Relief Centres and migrant labourers containing daily consumables for personal hygiene (Detergent Powder, Bathing and washing soaps, Toothpaste & brush, Hand sanitiser and shampoo sachets) Short Counselling sessions are also conducted on how to protect against Coronavirus infection by observing good hygiene practices. 84 beneficiaries’ families from Manpur, Kachnal gaji, Lakshmipur patti and Durga colony Kashipur. 300 bathing soaps and 300 detergent soaps were distributed at Kashipur Sports Stadium Bengali displaced labourers.
3. Distribution of Sanitisers and face masks:
For the Uttarakhand Board Exams 2020 at GGIC Kashipur, we distributed material for examiners at 17 exam centres of Kashipur Block were provided 500 masks and 100 bottles.
4. Distribution of Menstrual Hygiene Kits:
The access to Sanitary pads has taken a huge hit due to the Covid 19 curbs. Underprivileged Women and girls of daily wagers who were dependent on Government schemes to access sanitary pads are severely affected. Sanitary pads have become scarce and amid lockdown schools which distributed free pads and units which churned out low cost napkins have been unable to do so. Namita collaborated with the Block Education Office, Kashipur to ease this situation by constituting a Dignity Kit – a Menstrual Hygiene Kit to be distributed free of cost at the time of distribution of Midday Meal dry ration in government schools under the supervision of BEO and District Administration. A brief Menstrual Hygiene sensitization was also conducted for all the beneficiaries.
Till date, 2000 Dignity Kits and 2500 face masks have been distributed to schoolgirls from 6th to 12th classes covering 22 Rural schools, Guardians (mothers) & lady support staff of the school were also provided dignity kits. A brief awareness workshop was also conducted at each of the locations promoting COVID-19 awareness, prevention and menstrual hygiene related good practices.
Keep Children Reading- Covid response for Digital Literacy
Namita successfully Implemented ‘Keep Children Reading’ Campaign by Digital Reading Foundation (a subsidiary of worldreader) for households in underserved communities, aligned with government of India COVID response guidance. The program is powered by the Booksmart App of World reader. Any child at a foundational stage can effectively read at home with this link BookSmart.world/free.
Project Samvedna
‘Project Samvedna’ is an expression of our solidarity and empathy for the people of the hill districts of Uttarakhand. We successfully mobilised resources to help the district administration of Uttarkashi, Pauri Garhwal, Tehri Garhwal & Mission Hausla (initiative of UK police) to combat the second wave of covid -19 and provided home isolation relief material and medicine to fill in the crucial gaps.
Team Project Samvedna successfully mobilised and delivered Home isolation relief material to the District administration of Tehri Garhwal, Pauri Garhwal, Uttarkashi and Mission Hausla to combat the second wave of Covid-19.
ALMORA DISTRICT
Aan Charitable Trust, Kashipur contributed home isolation relief material and 4 oxygen concentrators to combat the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic through ‘Project Samvedna’ to Someshwar and the Primary Health Centre Daulaghat, District Almora. Smt Rekha Arya, Minister for Women Empowerment and Child Development, Government of Uttarakhand presided over the program and expressed her gratitude and support to the initiative.
NAINITAL DISTRICT
Our latest Covid-19 relief intervention under ‘Project Samvedna’ was in the remote villages of: Mauna, Bana, luchesani, Gram panchayat Naiseela Block Bhimtal, Nainital. The historical building of the village Church also served a major role as the village community centre.
Through this initiative we tried to reach out to the most left out during this pandemic, filling gaps in the bare rural health infrastructure of the remote hills of Uttarakhand.
Our team in collaboration with the district administration and block officials organized an awareness camp and equipped the caregivers with necessary material required to diagnose and treat early covid 19 patients.
Surakshit Ham Surakshit Tum Campaign
Our latest initiative was inaugurated on 8th June 2021 by NITI Aayog in collaboration with Piramal Foundation. Its goal is to ensure that patients of Covid-19 with mild symptoms are being cared for at home and have access to right knowledge, scientific protocols, and methods for effective care.
It is being implemented in 112 aspirational districts with the primary objective of strengthening community preparedness and capacity to fight covid-19
