Support for 36 Bengali families who lost jobs due to Covid lockdown May, 2021

Meet Mohammed Hasiful, 28, and his partner Babli, living in Kolkata. They both work in the food industry, in shopping malls, which are closed now due to the new lockdown in India. They are right away out of any income and won't be able to cover their food expenses for the weeks to come. 

We are offering support to them with $41 USD to buy and store groceries for this month that they are able to eat. We thank you for this necessary help.

Meet Mr Jahangir Jaes Hussain, 40 years old, with his wife and daughter. They are based an hour 30 minutes from Kolkata, India, where Jahangir has just opened a garments shop with the help of the charity 100 Friends USA. With a new lockdown in India to tackle the deadly second covid wave, Jahangirs shop is closed and he can not earn any money right now. He is unable to feed his family and to pay his house and shop rent. Therefore he is going down financially right away and could lose  everything. We are providing him this month with 54 USD to buy and store enough groceries ( see pics) to feed his family. We are able to keep them afloat for now. Thank you for your support which enables Jahangir to breath till better days come.

Meet Mohammed Dilshad age 33, based in New Delhi where he lives with his elder brother and his family of 7 members. Dilshad and his younger brother Ershad grew up in Kolkata as orphan boys. They both suffered from tuberculosis as they lived in the street back then and they almost died. At present, Dilshad is losing his eyesight and can't work while one of his leg is damaged due to polio in his childhood. His elder brother who provides for the family is out of work due to the lockdown. They generally live in poverty and will find it impossible to go through the lockdown without income. We are helping them with $67 USD to store basic groceries at home for this month (rice, lentils, oil, vegetables, onions, potatoes etc). We thank you for their support.

Uttara Report West Bengal, India May 21,2021

Dear Marc, 

How are you? 

Situation  here is very chaotic and dangerous with covid deaths escalting with each passing day and no availiability of vaccines.... 

Just before lockdown was imposed in Bengal I had decided to complete my May assignments and therefore set off for Sitalatala, Sekharblli Block I on 5th May as i had heard of the miserable condition of most villagers of this village. 

It was the first time i had visited this place and found the area very poor. Strangely i found very few young members present and only old people and small children. The villagers mostly earned their living by selling vegetables and fish and some bought scrap and resold them for money, many worked in brick kilns and made pottery while others worked as domestic workers in and around Kolkata. Despite the acute poverty the villagers bore everything with a calm resigned air. Cyclone Amphan followed with Covid had dealt a great blow to their livelihood  but the fear of the icy fingers of covid attacking seemed almost non existing.

An old man burst into tears when i handed him the grocery packets and others received it most gladly. 20 families received the grocery packets and an old lady was given a plastic chair for her painful knees. 

A lady who i visited was advised to be immediately hoapitalised for operation of knee as she had fallen and cut and broken her knee and gangerine was about to set in. As the ambulance fees were very high a friend of mine gave half the money and half the travel costs were disbursed from the May funds. I have enclosed her reports for your perusal. 

Total expenditure for the month of May

20 grocery packets for 20 families = Rs. 396 x 20 = Rs.  7920

1 plastic chair = Rs.  450

Half hospital transport fare = Rs. 1500

My transport = Rs. 1000

Total Expenditure = Rs. 10870

Mohammad Dilshad $67.50 dollars support New Delhi

Meet Mohammed Dilshad age 33, based in New Delhi where he lives with his elder brother and his family of 7 members. 

Dilshad and his younger brother Ershad grew up with us in Kolkata as orphan boys. They both suffered with  tuberculosis as they lived in the street back then in a dying condition. At present, dilshad is losing his eyesight and can't work while one of his leg is damaged due to polio in his childhood. 

His elder brother who provides to the entire family is out of work due to the lockdown. They generally live in poverty and will find it impossible to go through the lockdown without income. We are helping them with 67,50 USD to store basic groceries at home for this month.( rice, lentils, oil, vegetables, onions, potatoes etc). We thank you for their support.

 April 26, 2021

Dear Marc,

Greetings of the day!

Mr. A. Roy - He is a resident of Pal Para, Baruipur aged 78 years and suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and therefore suffers from serious breathing problems. He was rushed to Baruipur Hospital on 10th February and was hospitalized for 8 days. A few medicines were provided from the hospital free of costs and the rest he had to purchase. 

His relatives approached me for help and the rest medicines were provided by the fund set aside for help. The bill amount was Rs. 3845 ($53 USD).

Mr. Sethi came to my house on 25.04.2021 with his wife. As finalized between us Rs. 1200 was alloted to him for his medicine and groceries and you had already transferred the amount to me. I gave him Rs. 300 extra for his travel expenses as i had some old clothes to give him, donated by my friend. 

Mrs. S. Doloi - She is a 64 years old widow. Suffering from Diabetes and High Blood pressure. She has two sons but neither look after her. Unable to bend and mop floors due to acute arthritis she lost her jobs and was living in acute misery. 

Much needed medicines and groceries were provided to her from the fund.

(Rs. 1, 339 - $18 USD).

As discussed Mrs. Doloui was alloted Rs. 1000 to buy groceries and vegetables. I gave her the money alloted and spent Rs. 400 more on her to buy her a tray of eggs, biscuit and horlicks.

mrs. doloi's condition is pathetic....wud luv to do more to help her...groceries n medicines n a little ration could be provided to her at regular intervals to make life a little easier and comfortable...maybe if a few eggs and vegetables could be provided too

- Grocery was distributed to 11 families today. 

- 2 pair of spectacles were distributed to 2 old ladies after having their eyes tested. 

-Sketch pens and some old clothes were distributed to 4 children whose mother received grocery items and old utensils.

- Medicine and Dhoti (cloth woven around hip like lungi) was given to a semi paralysed old man

- 1 blanket was distributed to a lady who received a pair of spectacles too.

- A family of 5 children were given 5 pairs of flip flops and Rs. 2000 to buy new dresses for IDD

- One emergency light was bought for a poor family.

3. Sanitizers, mask and biscuits were provided to 10 children (Rs. 500)

4. School Bags and School Accessories (copies, pens, pencils and erasers) were provided to 5 poor school children. (Rs. 1, 700)

5. Mr. Sahadeb Pramanick - He is an old gentleman who was fully paralysed but with medicines and regular physiotherapy he is now able to just sit up with help and is able to move his right hand well and his left hand a little. 

His son approached me for help and he was provided with groceries, medicines and horlicks. (Rs. 2, 450)

Total spent in March - Rs. 9, 834

Marc, Money alloted for quarterly help - Rs. 30, 000 + 2, 500 TA - Rs. 32, 500

Money spent

January -     Rs.   9, 752

February -    Rs.   9, 250

March -.       Rs.   9, 834

TA -              Rs.    3, 000 ( due to rise in price after covid)

Total -.         Rs. 31, 836

Unspent amount - Rs. 664

Expenditure for April

Transport Sethi -  300

Mrs. Doloui.      -.  500

11 Grocery.       - 4000

2 Spectacles.   - 1600

Sketch Pens.    -.    50

Dhoti & Med.    -   500

Blanket.            -.  250

5 Flip-flop.       - .  350

5 Clothes        -  2000

Emergency.   -     600

Total Spent.  - 10,150.00 ($139 USD)

Sawmi from outside Aizawl the capital of Mizoram, India is now helping 100 Friends by helping needy people in her locality.

April 28, 2021

Dear Marc, 

As you already aware of India has a high and increasing virus positive cases every day and so in my state too, was lock down since tuesday till 3rd May,  it was just before my student last exam day.  So unfornately i could'nt active working as plan, and i cannot travel to the city yet to see the immigrants. At the same time, i could bought some medicines and energy food for my two poor student. 

Also i got a chance to buy the necessity food with the permission of our village level task force like attachments pictures (a bag of rice,  dal,  potato and a few bottle of cooking oil) This might be really useful for helping villagers too who is in most need.  I just want to write a few lines of my village profile is approximately about 950 households and almost 75 percent of them were living depends on their daily labours earning and some do farming. So there can be a risk condition of living if cannot work for long. Of course as i heard one story from a good friend about one old age couple is needing supports as they cannot go out for their vegetable farming and an old husband is sick too and they have no one.  So i sent them 5 kg of rice,  potato 3kgs.  4 cups of Indian Dal and a bottle of cooking oil,  they appreciated a lot and please see them from their picture below. 

Marc, i will be keeping on eyes and ears to continue helping to those in need if its possible?

Thanks and regard, 
Sawmi

Hi, good morning,  fortunately i could do food disbursement this morning again and now i did this fir 2 households and see reason i give this morning also a support is because a whole fanily members were positive and their relative neigbour is cooking for them as they dont have no one at home so i thought its needed to give a support.
When i talking about positive.. Its covid 19 positive patient.
I will write you both an email soon.
Lets me tell you one dangerous part this morning is.. A house where i've do food disbursement have just got virus test positive result and you know that boy was one of my Cl-11 student. .i dont know them family and honestly its really a circumstance. A white paper writing (home quarantine) is hanging outside so i call someone out from the road and i say this is for the positive patients family whom you used to cook for.  The boy as soon he heard my voice even i am wearing mask,  he come out and said to me Miss my test detected positive virus. hmm.. i have nothing to say more so i can only said please take care and try to have a good sleep along with doctor provides you medicine.
Al,  our present world and its condition is so so unfortable know.. India and her people really2 needs a  prayers for God protection please.. The virus is spreading too to us.. A community where i am living now.

i wish i can run a school to continue which i am doing now. Reason is a community run school where i am working now is not sure whether they can continue it or no? Because they were not able getting support from government as it is a still private village school and actually majority of all the community were doing a daily labour works with low earning and so they have difficulty for regular contribution to run this school through their monthly donation.