Help us support communities of Subramanyapura badly affected by Covid-19 and the lockdown

Donors outside India, use the FCRA account provided below

Following over two weeks of the lockdown, auto drivers, garment workers, construction laborers, domestic help, and other such daily wage earners are struggling to support their families. In the slum board housing colony of Bhuvaneshwari Nagar, Subramanyapura in South Bangalore, several families go to sleep hungry. A crisis of hunger, and consequent malnutrition, is growing within the Covid-19 pandemic. Even as they were trying to recover from the economic hardships of last year’s lockdown, the families here now find themselves exhausting whatever meager savings they had on food. And they have run out of money already. 

There is no effective plan from the State Government or Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to address such crises. To make matters worse, many in the community are falling sick with Covid-19. Living in extremely congested conditions, in 880 poorly ventilated  flats (each flat merely 150 sq. ft. in area), it is highly likely that the virus will ravage this community in no time.  

The sanitation here is terrible. They have no access to two critical needs for health- sunlight and fresh air. They are also struggling to get safe drinking water. Families – women, kids and elders – have no place to stretch a limb in these cramped and poorly designed flats. Standing in groups just to fetch water from a tanker or a well or from distant places is adding to the threat of catching Covid.

With jobs gone and no money, the food intake is decreasing and compromising essential nutrition. Lack of nutrition is translating into the body losing basic immunity. These conditions are not only making people more vulnerable to getting infected but also expose them to the risk of rapid deterioration if they fall sick.

During the 2020 lockdown, ESG supported dozens of families in this community by providing dry rations. Similarly, we reached out and helped dozens of families across Bangalore – especially migrant labourers and also street vendors (e.g. Gandhibazaar).  This year, as the lockdown is extended and cases are on the rise, these communities rely on our support so they can nourish themselves and stay healthy. 

If you contribute, we could help more families with dry ration packages. Our intention is to ensure no one needs to stand in food lines, and that people can cook and take care of their families.  

A weekly supply for a family costs about Rs. 1000, with which we can provide rice, pulses, cooking oil, and such other essentials for nutrition and hygiene. That way, we can ensure families can focus investment of their paltry savings on their health needs.

A volunteer from the Subramanyapura community distributing rations procured by ESG. May 15, 2021.

Your support will also help us dedicate more time and resources to ensure that the local community has access to clean drinking water by writing to concerned authorities, to help set up a mobile clinic for early testing and care for Covid-19 positive patients, and to design and disseminate awareness material in the community for Covid-19 appropriate behaviour. 

(All Indian donors benefit from tax exemptions under Sec 80G of IT Act. Foreign donations must be routed through ESG’s FCRA linked account as per FCRA Act.)

Contributions to ESG from foreigners/foreign institutions:

Account No: 40113324601 (FCRA SAVINGS ACCOUNT)
Branch Code: 00691
IF’SC SBINO000691
SWIFT: SBININBB104
FCRA Cell, 4th Floor, State Bank of India
Sansad Marg, New Delhi Main Branch, New Delhi-110001