2021: Your Journey With Oxfam India

2021: Your Journey With Oxfam India

2021 was a year of unprecedented humanitarian crises. It was also the year of unprecedented resolve and response by Oxfam India. Just when we were beginning to plan for the future, the second wave swept across the country devastating lives and leaving everyone gasping for breath. We were on the ground, even at the time when many of us lost friends and families. We all lost our dear humanitarian colleague, Ignatius. 

But we saved lives. And lives of some of the m most marginalised and vulnerable communities across India. Today as we stand at the threshold of a new year, we look back at all what was made possible because of YOUR SUPPORT. 

                                                                         *

Strengthened the Public Healthcare System

Our COVID-19 response after the second wave took a different turn. Mission Sanjeevani was born out of the string desire to do something about the crumbling healthcare system because of which so many people lost their lives. We had to move fast with a first-of-its-kind response. Mission Sanjeevani went full throttle on strengthening the public healthcare system. We were in 16 states, we set up 6 Oxygen generating plants; distributed over 13,388 life saving medical equipment such as oxygen cylinders, BiPAP Machines, concentrators, and ventilators; over 116,957 safety and PPE kits; over 9929 diagnostic equipment such as thermometers and oximeters; and 20,000 testing kits. 

We reached to over 141 district-level hospitals, 171 Primary Health Centres, and 167 Community Health Centres. We trained and provided safety kit to over 48,000 ASHA workers in 9 states, who are the backbone of the primary healthcare system.  

                                                                         *

Delivered Food and Money 

We were delivering cash and food—both dry ration and cooked meal—all of last year to the migrant workers and the informal sector workers who had lost jobs and were left without money or food. We continued this year too. In all we reached over 500,000 people from some of the most marginalised communities with dry ration. These communities included tiger widows, those affected by cyclone, sex workers, transgenders, cancer and leprosy patients, fisherfolk communities, homeless, construction workers, tea garden workers, musahars, daily wage workers, survivors of domestic violence, miners, garment factory workers, flood affected families, and brick kiln workers among many others. 

Unconditional cash transfers were made to over 10,000 families to the tune of Rs 3.53 Crore. This was essential help to tide over the immediate needs of families in deep distress. Some of them used the money to set up petty shops and businesses, others paid of their debt and bought food, paid rent, basically took care of the immediate needs of their families. 

                                                                         *

Provided Relief for Natural Disasters

While the virus raged, parts of India were facing floods, cyclones and landslides. This was a double whammy for some of the most marginalised communities. We reached out to over 7000 people with essential food, shelter kits and safety kits for those in Kerala, Uttarakhand and West Bengal (Cyclone Yaas).

Our Uttarakhand work started with a Rapid Needs Assessment and a meeting with Chief Minister of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami, who requested us to begin work. In Uttarakhand we responded in Nainital district, one of the worst affected due to the landslides. In Kerala's Pathanamthitta and Alappuzha, as part of WASH, 144 wells were dewatered, cleaned, chlorinated and repaired. Oxfam India engaged 16 students from St. Berchmans College who are doing their Masters in Social Work - for support with documentation and relief distribution.

                                                               *

Empowered Women   

Through our COVID-19 Response in the last 2 years, we worked with 111 women SHGs giving them livelihood trainings. These training ranged from tailoring to papad and pickle making, from goatery to running petty shops and handloom units. 

We also worked with women farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, and Odisha training them and providing them with farming inputs, including seeds, implements and providing market linkages. In all we reached over 7500 women. 

We campaigned for #EmpowermentNotAge — our logic is simple, instead of increasing the legal age of marriage it is essential to provide proper nutrition, education, and employment opportunities for girls. When she wants to marry should be with her free and informed consent. To drive the point home, your blockbuster song #SorryThankYouTataByeBye was a message to the deeply entrenched patriarchy in the society.                                                        
                                                               *

Brought Children Back to School 

Education took a backseat in the last two years. In fact, it received a severe body blow for the most marginalised children who had no access to digital education and for whom going to schools were no longer an option since they remained closed for the most part. In 2021, with your help we enrolled 3000 children in schools and trained 524 teachers. During the lockdown we supported 1700 children with mohalla classes. 228 Adivasi children were provided multi-lingual education.  

                                                               *

Your support in fighting inequality and discrimination has been valuable. And it is critical that you continue backing us for 2022 too. 

📢Oxfam India is now on Telegram. Click here to join our Telegram channel and stay tuned to the latest updates and insights on social and development issues.    

 

Humanitarian Response and DRR

Oxfam India saves lives by building the resilience of communities to disasters and conflict

Read More

Related Blogs

Blogs

Stories that inspire us

Humanitarian Response and DRR

30 Sep, 2022

Assam

Assam Floods | Our Response Updates

No humanitarian response should end with immediate relief. Rehabilitating communities is a long drawn process. We need your support. DONATE TODAY https://donate.oxfamindia.org/indiafloods...

Humanitarian Response and DRR

23 Jul, 2021

Balasore, Odisha

Cyclones, Flood, and COVID-19 Upends Lives in Odisha’s Soro Block

Clutching a bag in her hand, Munia Bibi clad in a pink and yellow saree, with the palloo firmly on her head, headed towards the primary school in her village on a Sunday morning. Ration k...

Humanitarian Response and DRR

01 Jul, 2020

Pune, Maharashtra

The SWaCH Story | How waste pickers continued work during lockdown

The announcement of the COVID-19 lockdown evoked a range of feelings from panic to anxiety, from  frustration to relief (at the possibility of working from home). What united most people,...

Humanitarian Response and DRR

31 May, 2020

Sunderbans

Cyclone Amphan’s Trail of Devastation

Fifty-five year old Latika Mollah lost her asbestos roof to the cyclone. Her house is flooded and the sacks of paddy that she had stored in her house, is spoilt. Latika lives with her wid...

img Become an Oxfam Supporter, Sign Up Today One of the most trusted non-profit organisations in India