Sarthak Educational Trust Response to COVID-19
COVID-19 pandemic is creating a havoc across the world and expected to continue for quite some time. India is about to enter stage 3 and the number of positive cases are expected to rise very rapidly. The frontline healthcare professionals are working hard to help us tackle the situation by putting their own life at risk. We believe by adopting holistic approach we all will overcome this pandemic soon.
At Sarthak, we have always been highly aware of our responsibility towards the nation and are committed to provide all possible support to India’s response to the COVID-19 challenge in the domain of disability. We believe in taking measurable steps to tackle the urgent need of the hour and our response to the pandemic is also built around this approach.
We have a long journey of combat ahead and a lot more needs to be done by all of us at this hour of grief and catastrophe to control and defeat the spread of the virus.
Impact of COVID 19 on Persons with Disabilities
- 1. Distancing is not an option for many as they rely on others including personal support workers and caregivers to support their needs including movement, bathing, feeding.
- 2. Their physical condition and medical comorbidities put them at higher risk of developing the severe complications of COVID-19.
- 3. Information on COVID-19 infection prevention strategies focused on the needs of people with disabilities are not being disseminated through media or other sources.
- 4. Due to COVID-19 restriction, many people with disabilities who operated small businesses or other informal livelihood ventures (ie home cell phone repair or machine repair shops, selling goods, etc.)are unable to work and there is a significant loss of income, which is not compensated by government programs.
- 5. Country wide lockdown which places restriction on movement within the community (including bus travel) and lack of income prevents them from acquiring needed protective material including face masks, hand sanitizers and hand wash. Acquiring these materials is particularly important for people with disabilities as many are in direct physical contact with caregivers and support workers. In addition, COVID-19 rules surrounding restriction of movement within the community affects people with mobility issues even more, creating another barrier to obtaining these materials. Government programs provide basic needs including rice and grains, but not protective material.
- 6. Loss in Jobs of Persons with Disabilities resulting into family income of the household further effecting the composite GDP of the nation.
Our Strategy
- 1. Provide direct education to people with disabilities and their families on how to protect themselves against COVID-19 through online sessions.
- 2. Connect people with disabilities with available community resources which are difficult to access during this period of lockdown including pharmacies, medical clinics and assistive equipment providers.
- 3. Imparting Online Skill Building Training to Persons with Disabilities.
- 4. Immediate Assistance/Placement support to Persons with Disabilities.
- 5. Counselling of Persons with Disabilities and families.
Additional Initiatives undertaken by Sarthak Educational Trust during COVID 19
- 1. Laptop Distribution Campaign with the collaboration of Make My Trip to provide technological support to Persons with Disabilities.
- 2. Distribution of 3000 PPE Kits and 1000 N-95 Masks to medical personnel of Delhi NCR Government Hospitals with the support of Aricent Technologies Holdings Ltd (also known as Altran)
- 3. With the support of Aricent Technologies Holdings Ltd (also known as Altran) Sarthak extended support to ARAM Charitable Trust, Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu for supporting 200 families in Kathirvedu district with family essential kit and sustainable support to ARAM home for supporting 8 Children with Special Needs with ration, therapy equipment’s and salaries of care takers and professional staff.
- 4. With the support of Aricent Technologies Holdings Ltd (also known as Altran) Sarthak extended support to PADHAAI Society for Underprivileged, Chennai, Tamil Nadu for supporting food for 30 Children in PADHAAI Home.
- 5. Supported Electric Wheel Chair to Sarthak Alumni Jyoti Singh, presently working in108 Emergency Medical Transport Services Ltd in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh
- 6. Mobile Distribution Campaign for providing digital support to Persons with Disabilities for undertaking vocational skill building training in the locations of Bhopal, New Delhi and Mumbai.
- 7. Apparel Distribution Campaign for underprivileged section of society and Persons with Disabilities with the CSR Partner Future Retail Ltd and distribution partner Robin Hood Army across India (New Delhi- Khamria Park, Madhur Village).This activity is still ongoing at various parts of India.
Sarthak ongoing Activities & Impact during COVID
- 1. Early Intervention: Sarthak has successfully rehabilitated 1500+ children with disability through its three pronged strategy of prevention, identification, and intervention. Early prevention, identification and intervention are the three facets of Sarthak Antakshep Kendra. Early prevention and identification involves identification of problem areas in its earliest and sensitization of gynaecologists, paediatrician and health workers to control disability proneness for risk babies.
In the COVID era, Online therapies to 500+ Children with special needs are provided.
- 2. Skill Development & Sustainable Employment: Vocational skilling and placement support to persons with disability is provided across 19 different locations in India and the objective is to create sustainable and independent life prospects for PwDs. Through its dedicated efforts Sarthak has successfully trained and placed 20000+ and 18000+ youth with disability respectively.
In the COVID era, training to 3000 PwDs and placement opportunities to 2000+ Persons with Disabilities are provided in 10 different sectors under the program and empowered 1000+ Persons with disabilities under Sarthak digital literacy program.
- 3. Advocacy and Awareness Generation: In furtherance to direct intervention, Sarthak is also engaged in creating pro-environment and attitude towards PwDs in general and has successfully organized 100+ centre, state, regional, and national level events.
In COVID era, several webinars followed by 7th National Conference on Disability was conducted to brainstorm on pressing needs of disability sector.
Additionally, during COVID 19, the initiatives of Sarthak, were telecasted on Kaun Banga Crorepati Season 12- Karamveer Special hosted by Megastar Shri Amitabh Bachchan
- 4. NGO Capacity Building Program: Sarthak is not only restricted to catering to the needs of persons with disability directly, but also equipping existing change makers with better capacity and strength and conducted an 11-month NGO Capacity Building program at Telangana in support with Microsoft.
In the COVID era, India Disability Empowerment Alliance (IDEA) was formed with an objective to leverage the collective strength of NGOs working in the field of disability. So far, 200+ NGOs have joined hands in IDEA
- 5. Sarthak Parents' Interaction Forum: In lot many cases, Parents are clueless when they realize that their child is having some form of disability and keeping this particular need in concern, Sarthak with the support of professionals, medical practitioners, and parents of children with disability has started this initiative.
In the COVID era following activities was undertaken
- • Counselling of Persons with Disabilities and families.
- • Provide direct education to people with disabilities and their families on how to protect themselves against COVID-19 through online sessions.
- • Connect people with disabilities with available community resources which are difficult to access during this period of lockdown including pharmacies, medical clinics and assistive equipment providers.
Support the cause by contributing INR 5000 per month or any small amount.
Online donation: Click here...
Bank Transfer
Indian Account Holders
Account Name | : SARTHAK EDUCATIONAL TRUST |
Account No. | : 058710100020302 |
Account Type | : Saving Account |
Bank Name | : Union bank of India |
Branch | : Lawrence Road |
IFSC Code | : UBIN0805874 |
MICR Code | : 1100226174 |
Swift Code | : ANDBINBBXXX |
Foreign Donors
Account Name | : SARTHAK EDUCATIONAL TRUST |
Account No. | : 39819752476 |
Account Type | : Saving Account |
Bank Name | : State Bank of India |
Branch | : New Delhi Main Branch |
IFSC Code | : SBIN0000691 |
Swift Code | : SBININBB104 |
Paytm/UPI
For any further information, write to us at ceooffice.sarthak@gmail.com or contact us at 011-42004238
All of Sarthak is committed to extending all possible support to India's response to the Covid-19 challenge and we hope that together we will be able to overcome this adversity soon.