India is undergoing a catastrophe at the moment and the country needs our help. With a daily death count exceeding more than 350,000, a dire shortage of medical equipment, the Covid-19 situation grows direr by the day for a country whose population exceeds 1.3 billion.
Not only has Covid-19 taken the lives of 208,000 people (and counting) firsthand, but it has triggered a vicious ripple effect – a need for oxygen concentrators, oxygen-equipped beds, intensive care beds and sheets, masks, hand sanitizers, medicines, etc. In addition, the pandemic has left millions of people, especially wage workers, jobless, and consequently, they can’t afford to eat. Read more about the situation here.
Why am I writing this? What’s my “connection” to India? I am not Indian. But I traveled to India in 2019 and the country is forever etched into my heart – I’ve never seen so much kindness in one place. Though we all have a connection to India. Whether or not we have India on our bucket list, eat and/or cook Indian cuisine, practice yoga, watch Bollywood films, read Indian literature, seek spiritual inspiration from its religions, or take an interest in its history and culture, we’re ALL bound to India via humanity: India is inhabited by our fellow humans. And they need us.
Pre-Covid, I had booked another trip to India for 2020. Since I won’t be able to return for the foreseeable future, I chose to help India and its people endure the crisis by taking money I had set aside for the trip and making donations to Mission Oxygen, a Delhi-based organization that is using the funds to procure oxygen concentrators for the city, and Seva Kitchen, which, in addition to also procuring oxygen concentrators, is collecting money to prepare food boxes for individuals and families who are currently without an income.
Divia Thani, the India-based global editorial director for Condé Nast Traveller, published this list of verified organizations and charities on the ground in India seeking support. Juliet Kinsman penned a similar piece for Condé Nast Traveller UK. These organizations are indeed accepting international donations, and we ask you to help India. Choose one to support and give what you can – even just a few dollars can make a profound impact.
Photo credit: Jaclyn DeGiorgio