All For One, One For All

When Naveen, an Isha Outreach volunteer, recently walked into the Madvarayapuram village he was greeted by an eager group of villagers who wished to join him in the battle to #BeatTheVirus. Beyond the assiduous efforts of our volunteers lies a second line of defence that is bolstered by villagers.

The group of 15 Good Samaritans are now working with Naveen to distribute food, Nilavembu Kashayam and essential goods among the villagers.

Not just in Madvarayapuram, residents of Narasipuram and Madakadu villages too are pitching in. From helping the volunteers ensure that villagers adhere to lockdown rules, they are also lending a hand in distribution of food and protection of the vulnerable in the community.

Traditional Remedies

The ever-eager villagers have developed some of their own traditional methods to maintain safety and hygiene standards. The residents use turmeric powder and the powder of neem leaves to disinfect roads and their houses. They are also using cow dung to coat the walkways in front of their houses to keep the deadly virus away. The villagers’ intervention is a tribute to the painstaking efforts of Isha volunteers to spray disinfectants in front of community buildings, offices and even vehicles used to deliver goods to the people.

Through Thick & Thin

Reeling from the slowdown due to the Coronavirus pandemic, a daily wage earner was struck with another blow as heavy rainfall left him and many others like him without any source of income. Even though the state government has been providing free rations, he struggles to support and feed his family. Isha Outreach volunteers relieved him of his worries when they started delivering food packets to him and other villagers. He said: “I thank Isha for their efforts. They have taken our worries away.”

As the Coronavirus outbreak has thrown up challenges that we have never faced before, our children are the ones suffering the most during this time. Let’s take care of our little ones.

These little children tucking into their meal are from a tribal community. Our volunteers discover that this village has no name. A generous landowner, Mathigounder, donated his land for the communities to live.#BeatTheVirus pic.twitter.com/Q5WQRF0v4W

— Rally For Rivers - Cauvery Calling (@rallyforrivers) April 29, 2020