For the first time when I heard about Coronavirus, I just took it very casually. Like African countries, endemics of Ebola and Zika were rumoured in India, same might be the case of Corona –  I imagined. Also, I thought – Is there any guaranty that people will die from Corona! But, they must die because of sudden closure of all transactions, i.e. due to state and country wide shut down!

Hasty closure of whole life transaction, from 24 March 2020 owing to COVID-19 pandemic, did much impact on the low income groups of people. At the beginning, when the govt closed everything all of a sudden such as business, travel, education, government offices, etc. people faced survival threats who were stuck at different points like, the persons who visited to non-native districts or states as hawkers, peddlers or small business holders.

I have had witnessed a similar case in front of my residence in Malkanagiri municipal area. A group of 9 families who had come from Madhya Pradesh and Maharastra for selling of different ply furniture, we used to call them as ‘Banjaras’, living under ripped tents in a barren land. Soon after closure of everything those families lost their earning source, dried up their earned money and even food stock. I realised and asked them whether they need any help from me, they replied with much hesitation, “Kya humko roti milega”. Then I rushed to home and collected whatever food items we had and offered them immediately. I informed the case to the Municipality Executive Officer hastily for arranging some food, but that was not sufficient as the government was providing very less quantity of ration to each person. To deal the issue, I tried to contact my near and dear ones for help, used social media platforms to generate support. Many likeminded people came forward to support the hungry families. In this way, I could help not only to those Banjara families but also to 40 other families who used to manage their livelihoods through daily labour. During day time, I used to work at office, very close to my residence, but at night, together with my cousins, our mission was to search for families or individuals around my colony who might have slept on empty stomach.

While one problem remained unsolved, another was cropped up. When Odisha Government called for the migrants to back home from their destination states, the situation became worse to worst, huge influx of migrants from different corners of Odisha reached Motu Tahasil of Malkangiri, the end point of the district and border of Odisha, Chatishgarh and newly emerged Telengana States. I was very closely watching the sorrows of migrants, hunger of labours along with their families travelled for 4-5 days from far away south Indian States, hopelessness eyes of mothers and crying face of children. I realised their pity, which continued to buzz in my mind until I did something for them. It was May, I was heavily assigned with project activities under Child Development Project adding to immediate Response to COVID-19 in terms of direct assistance to vulnerable families, young mass and children with survival kits, education kits & health kits at the join endeavours of CYSD & ChildFund India.

My involvement with CYSD and its response to COVID-19 once again reinforced me to initiate something different innovatively. Of late, it’s not me, but a group of likeminded young mass from Malkangiri town who were motivated through my social work, started mobilising funds for returnee migrants, especially who were going back home passing by Malkangiri town. With prior permission from District Administration we provided cooked food, dry food & water to the returnee migrants on their way to home. Looking at our initiative many civil society organizations in Malkangiri came forward to support the returnee migrants with food and water for a month or so. On daily basis we used to give approximately 1000 meals to the returnee migrants and for this activity we received enormous appreciations and blessings from the people. For the purpose, I had taken 2 days’ special leave from my office. The initiative was also supported and appreciated by my Supervisor.

The worst ever time came when the whole of my family members got infected in COVID -19, my father was in government quarantine centre, mother in COVID hospital, my wife and younger brother were in home quarantine. It’s me and my 3 years old daughter were left unaffected by virtue of God’s will, but had to suffer a lot by roaming from quarantine centre to COVID hospital and kitchen to medicine stores to support my parents for 20 days. But, these hurdles never stopped me to perform my duty and get involved passionate work.

Much earlier, I had assumed that economic crisis will impact the children’s education first, because it has become a trend in undivided Koraput district that my ‘Desia’ communities never give priority to education and discontinue their children’s education even for silly reasons. We the Education Team of the Child Development Project had identified some orphan, single parent and economically vulnerable children who were in the verge of discontinuing their higher education owing to economic crisis. We supported them financially for getting admission in the colleges by mobilising funds through social media campaign. The team mobilised around Rs. 80,000/- from the campaign and supported 12 such children for their higher education.

Of course, the Corona pandemic gave me a special opportunity to think and act innovatively for my society and the people. Still many more change initiatives are yet to bear fruits and I wish to keep enduring my mission during this pandemic crisis.