CYSD volunteers shake shackles of fear, serve people in COVID pandemic period

Bhubaneswar, July 26: Shaking the shackles of fear and apprehension of getting infected with Coronavirus by adopting adequate precautionary measures, the members of Centre for Youth and Social Development (CYSD) spread across 8 districts of the State including Malkangiri in the south region and Mayurbhanj in the north, in close cooperation with the respective local self-governments, have reached out to scores of pandemic affected people.

The strategy executed during the pandemic period was, CYSD through its 275 Community Volunteers began to supplement the state government’s efforts to flatten the COVID-19 curve.

The Community Volunteers (CVs), virtually oriented and engaged with the Gram Panchayats, have been organising mass awareness drive, tracking of returnee migrants, assistance 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 practice relating to COVID – 19.

Use of tech-options like the drone-based sanitization undertaken in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack Municipal Corporation in collaboration with Drone for Humanity and Humanitarian Aid International has also contributed to the COVID impacts in the state. A 19-day drone pilot training organized for 11 trainees including government staff and university students has led local youths here acquiring tech-skills to fight the pandemic.

Distribution of Survival Kits with dry food items and other consumables 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 has seen people finding themselves in a comfort zone.

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 in innovative works 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.

Realising that pandemic period requires Psycho-Social Counselling (PSC), CYSD has started a Virtual Citizen Support Centre (Jana Sahayata Kendra) to help affected people through sharing of information related to Covid-19, provide support access their entitlements and psycho-social counselling as well as consultation with the health experts.

“During this pandemic period, 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. Besides, skill profiling of the returnee migrants; facilitating preparation and rolling out village level MGNREGA plans; supporting farmers in Kharif Crop Planning, helping Producers’ collectives in preparation of Business Development Plan; and 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“, said Mr. Jagadananda, Mentor and Co-founder of CYSD.