Gujarat Jesuits’ Response to COVID-19 Pandemic
THE COVID-19 SCENARIO IN GUJARAT
Gujarat has become the second top-most COVID- 19 affected state in the country in few days after Maharashtra. The city, Ahmedabad has become the COVID-19 hotspot of Gujarat.
The Jesuits have been responding to this crisis situation with Compassion and Solidarity.
Key Activity & Updates
FOOD
- 500 meals provided to migrants & home guards
- 170 migrants are from UP,MP and Rajasthan are provided food
- 300 per day food is been provided by ST. Xavier’s Residence
- 400 Food Packets distributed to the poor people, migrants
- St. Xavier’s College Community supply food through Tiffin in the entire period of lockdown
- 200 families have been provided ration kits by St. Xavier’s Residence
- 400 people in 14 villages have got dry ration every fortnight
- 165 dry ration kits were distributed to 165 families in two days
- About 40 ration kits are distributed
- Dry rations kits for 300 migrant families are distributed
- 250 families are given dry ration by Navjot High School
- 160 Packets for 15 days of dry ration is distributed
- 28 Families – 130 people gets dry ration once in a week
- 457 ration kits have been distributed
- 267 ration kits have been distributed & 125 kits are ready to be distributed in total 380 families
- Distribution of food by Government is seen in 15 villages
Shelters & Quarantine Centers
- Catholic Church, has the campus ‘Mandal Jagruti High School’ is ready for any emergency, as per the Notice of District Education Officer, Tapi.
- The School & the Boarding buildings of Catholic Ashram are made available in case of emergency.
- St. Xavier’s Social Service Society is open to help out within campus premises.
- Xavier Technical Training Centre established one shelter home for 6 migrants & homeless people
- St. Xavier’s Social Service Society has opened their premises for the homeless people
- 11 Migrant Tribal Workers are given shelter for more than a month in the Jesuit Campus with the Ration and Financial help.
Masks & Sanitizers
- 200 masks were purchased & distributed
- Xavier Ashram, Mandali distributed 100 masks
- Sangath staff & volunteers prepared Masks & distributed to the leaders of 8 villages
- Navjot High School distribute handmade masks in the hospitals
- 3000 Masks have been distributed by Jeevan Jyot
- The order of making masks will be given to the village tailors, they will also distribute the masks to the vulnerable people
- Deevalaya Fulwadi distributed 100 masks & 200 Sanitizers
- 3500 masks were distributed to 650 people in 63 villages
- The startup of Chemistry Department (DEXCI) prepared their own Sanitizer which was available to College faculty & others at a cheaper rate.
- 50 Masks, 50 sanitizer & 50 sets of gloves were given to the people, Police & to their Staff of Radhanpur by Catholic Ashram
Financial Aid
- Xavier Research Foundation gave the> amount of Rs.5000/- to three families
- Uttar Gujarat Catholic KelavaniI Sangh gave> amount of Rs.500/- to the migrants
- Xavier Ashram gave the >amount of Rs.1000/- to per migrant family
Medical Aid
- Blood Donation Camp are organized by St. Xavier’s Residence
- Xavier Asharam, Mandali are providing Medicines to the victims
- Medical was available for all by Divya Chhaya Hospital
- Vedrunite nuns running Dispensary for the medical emergency for the tribal people.
- Medical Counseling is been provided to the migrants & needy people
IEC Material developed & distributed
- Awareness materials on Covid-19 & on government schemes were developed. Whatsapp group to disseminate COVID-19 information is formed by Rajpipla Social Service Society for the benefit of people
- Central & State Government schemes & related information are circulated through social media platforms
- In 1475 villages the information & materials related to COVID- 19 has been distributed for the general awareness of the people
Help desk
- 14 offices have been set up with staff to address issues affecting people in the area with internet and computer facilities.
- Fr. Michael’s of CATHOLIC ASHRAM, Radhanpur contact number is shared to contact for any emergency or help
Awareness Programmes/Information & Updates
- At the time of ration distribution general awareness is created by St. Joseph’s Parish about COVID-19 & Govt. welfare schemes.
- Heath & Sanitation awareness & Human Distancing is briefed in Adivasi language
- Awareness through digital media platforms are provided by Parish Leaders & Youth groups
- Social awareness regarding COVID-19 is been provided through WhatsApp group to the villagers constantly
- Information shared from the Government has been shared with Faculty and is also put on Website of St. Xavier’s College
- Information is provided in Social Media Platform
- A WhatsApp group has been created in which health workers and interested volunteers disseminate information regarding Corona
- Sangath staff helped in getting Food supplies without Ration card
- On line food distribution has been stopped so that villages can get ration
- Monitoring local village shops not to take advantage of COVID -19 - not to raise prices of things
- New govt. schemes like widow pension Rs.1000 raised
Human Resource Engagement
- In 62 villages, 202 volunteers showed up for this relief work
- 28 people of Uttar Gujarat Catholic Kelavani, St. Joseph Parish & Xavier’s Ashram are engaged in relief work
- 30 people were engaged in the survey, preparation of the kits and the distribution
- The parish priest is coordinating & office staff, fellow Jesuits, Sisters and the village
- leaders and youth volunteers are there in this relief work
- All the staff of presently running 63 projects of Rajpipla Social Service Society
Vehicles for Relief Work
- 23 Vehicles have been dedicatedly providing relief services to the victims covering all the areas
Future Plan & Interventions & funds
- Amount of 2,00,000 is earmarked for Government by St. Xavier’s College
- St. Joseph’s Parish, Adivasi Pragati Kendra earmarked Rs 10,0000
- St. Joseph’s Parish, Nani Singloti, Besna earmarked to provide the fund of Rs Rs.2, 20,000/- to relief work.
- Xavier Ashram, Mandali earmarked the sum of Rs 1,00,000
- St. Joseph Church & Residence spend the amount of Rs. 1,75,000 & intend to spend Rs. 6,00,000 in future
- St. Xavier’s Social Service Society intend to spend Rs. 1,50,000
- Lok Seva Sangh intend to spend the amount of Rs. 50,000
- Deevalaya Fulwadi will spend 50,000 on food packets distribution
- Catholic Asharm earmarked & will donated Rs. 2,50,000 according to the need
- Distribution of kits to the families in collaboration with St. Vincent de Paul group.
- Distribution of masks By parish youth
- Redistribution of Kits to 300 families
- Help in the Education of the children in the Schools and in the boarding’s.
- Help in getting medicine & counseling
- Organize Women Empowerment programs & start Self-help groups
- Generate awareness on all schemes under PDS, Women Jan Dhan Account, PM KissanNidhi, Mid-Day Meal, cash transfers and NREGA
- Generate more & more awareness on Covid-19 and overall health
- Distribution of food packets, dry ration, masks, sanitizers to the migrants, daily wagers , poor & needy people will be provided as much as possible
- Help in providing shelter (Schools and hostels) to homeless, daily wage workers and poor family without any work.
- There are a special case (Widows and Communities) that solely depends on daily wages. Special attention, care for the survival is necessary which is taken care of.
SPECIAL INTERVENTIONS/UNIQUE CASE STUDIES/PRACTICES
WEBINAR
A Webinar VYOM on “Observational and Theoretical Astronomy” organized by ASTRONOMICA (The Astronomy Club of SXCA) under the banner of St. Xavier's College, Ahmedabad and in collaboration with ESSENCETECH. There were 490 registrations from 20 different States and 5 Union Territories including a couple from Germany and Nepal. Lectures were delivered by eminent scientists Dr V. Joshi and Dr U. Joshi (from PRL, Ahmedabad) and Dr B. Thakore (from Vidyanagar).ONLINE COUNSELLING AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT
Several members of the faculty have been involved in Counselling students during lockdown. They helped the students to enrol for online academic courses as part of their on-going formation. They have been providing online help to students for dissertation and for the finalisation of their Research papers; they are also providing self-study/study online materials to students at home.Online examinations were conducted to help students complete their pending exams. This was very beneficial for the students.