Following the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the imposition of lockdown in India, millions of people were pushed to the brink of hunger and starvation. The Ramakrishna Math and Ramakrishna Mission started relief work almost from the beginning of the crisis, bringing succour to the afflicted people
India
Asansol centre distributed 500 kg flour, 100 kg pulses, 120 kg soya chunks, 100 packets of health drink, 100 kg detergent powder, 200 face masks and 200 bars of soap among 100 families in Paschim Bardhaman district on 1 October.
Darjeeling centre distributed 500 kg rice, 50 kg flour, 25 kg chira (rice flakes), 25 kg sattu, 88 kg pulses, 50 kg soya chunks, 50 kg salt, 125 litres cooking oil, 100 packets of biscuits, 50 kg sugar, 15 kg assorted spices, 25 packets of panch foron (spices), 125 pouches of shampoo, 50 bars of detergent soap and 175 bars of soap among 75 families in Darjeeling district from 17 September to 24 October.
Malda centre distributed 1353 kg rice, 451 kg flour, 346 kg pulses, 90 litres cooking oil, 555 saris, 251 sets of children’s garments, 451 face masks and 451 bars of soap among 451 families in Malda district on 12 and 15 October.
Vrindaban centre distributed 1250 kg rice, 1250 kg flour, 500 kg pulses, 250 litres cooking oil, 250 kg salt, 125 kg sugar, 50 kg milk powder, 250 packets of tea leaves, 250 face masks and 1000 bars of soap among 250 families in Vrindaban from 19 to 25 October.
South Africa
Durban centre, along with its sub-centres, served cooked meals to 1370 people and distributed 232 kg rice, 116 kg pulses, 116 kg sugar beans, 116 kg maize meal, 58 kg macaroni, 12 kg assorted spices, 116 kg salt, 87 litres cooking oil, 116 litres milk, 116 kg sugar, 116 packets of tea bags, 116 bottles of jam, 116 packets of soup, etc among 116 families in October. The centre also gave away 150 loaves of bread to needy people.
Phoenix centre distributed 2300 kg rice, 240 kg maize meal, 230 kg fortified cereals, 1400 kg pulses, 750 kg potatoes, 750 kg onions, 100 kg squashes, 40 kg noodles, 105 kg assorted spices, 300 kg salt, 1075 litres cooking oil, 700 cans of tinned food, 55 kg soup powder, 30,000 tea bags, 250 kg sugar, 420 litres milk, 30 kg milk powder, 170 kg biscuits, 3052 breakfast cereal packets, 2130 kg fortified nutritious sauce, 40 kg peanut butter, 144 litres fruit juice, 150 cakes, 72 packets of sweets, 36 children’s snack packs, 500 matchboxes, 800 bars of soap, 300 adult napkins, 150 face masks, 20 litres hand sanitizer, 30 blankets, 64 garden tool sets and 30 pairs of shoes in October. The centre also handed over a month’s supply of unprocessed food material to 18 people, as well as a litre of milk and a loaf of bread each to 11 families thrice a week. Further, the centre’s clinic sponsored 22 dialysis sessions for two patients and provided counselling service to healthcare professionals and workers.
Zambia
Lusaka centre distributed 500 kg powdered maize, 38 litres cooking oil, 25 kg salt, 50 kg sugar, 50 packets of washing powder and 50 bars of soap among 50 families in Lusaka in October.
Cyclone Rehabilitation
As a part of the Cyclone Bulbul rehabilitation project, Belgharia centre inaugurated a hostel cum shelter house, bore a submersible pump and handed over 26 houses to the afflicted families at G Plot, Sundarban, South 24 Parganas district on 18 October.
Manasadwip centre repaired and renovated 215 houses by way of distributing 1841 asbestos sheets, 169 tin sheets, 303 GI pipes, 252 concrete pillars, 199 bamboo poles, 928 feet matka (ridge covers) 30,100 bricks, 2508 cft red sand, 295 cft white sand, 1316 cft stone chips, 521 bags of cement, 696 iron rods, 101 tarpaulins and 25 kg binding wire from 4 June to 26 October among afflicted families in South 24 Parganas district to help them repair and renovate their houses that had been damaged by Cyclone Amphan.
Economic Rehabilitation
Under self-employment programme, the following centres distributed necessary items, shown against their names, to poor and needy people in their respective areas:
India: Limbdi: 1 tricycle in September. Taki: 5 rickshaw-vans on 21 October.
South Africa: Phoenix: 1 sewing machine in October.
Distress Relief
To extend a helping hand to poor and needy people, 22 of our centres distributed 223 dhotis, 11,200 saris, 104 lungis, 2192 shirts, 1210 trousers, 6 sets of ladies’ garments, 866 skirts, 789 sets of children’s garments, 1200 kg rice, 300 kg pulses, 300 litres oil, 300 kg salt, 300 packets of sweets, 150 face masks, 500 hand sanitizer bottles, 100 kg powdered maize etc. among the poor and needy people.
India: Bagda Dibrugarh Gadadhar Ashram Gurap Guwahati Jalpaiguri Kasundia Manasadwip