India has extended the lockdown thrice and it might be extended again for the fourth time.
PM Modi is working hard to contain COVID-19.
India's priority is to remain united.
Many are unemployed, impoverished and hungry.
However there are many who understand this and have lent their support
to distribute food.
Let me tell you something that has surprised me.
In West bengal, there are 4 Deaf associations situated in different areas.
However their aim to support Deaf and People with Disabilities has been the same.
Let me tell you about them.
The HDWA is located in Kolkata.
Their General Secretary is Sumanta Ghosh.
He observed that due to the COVID-19 lockdown,
people have lost jobs and many small businesses have shut down.
He saw that the people who are suffering the most
are the Deaf and people with Disabilities. They were all starving.
Sumanta decided to support them all.
Using HDWA's funds, he ordered and prepared food packages.
He then drove to various parts of Kolkata and distributed food to Deaf and People with Disabilities.
Everyone was very thankful to Sumanta and the HDWA.
However, there were still many suffering in the Districts of West Bengal.
Sumanta was willing to travel to the various districts but there were strict travel restrictions.
He then decided to contact the General Secretaries of the associations in the various districts.
HDWA then transferred their funds to the GS of various associations via bank transfer.
The General Secretaries of each district then purchases items and distributed them to the people.
Similarly each district did the same.
Through this initiative 230 Deaf individuals and people with disabilities have been supported.
Everyone is very thankful to HDWA for their support.
Have a look at the video clips and images.
MDAD is an association based in Murshidabad, which is 4-5 hours away from Kolkata.
This is the sign name of MDAD.
Their President is Swapan Kr Dhar - sign name.
Their General Secretary is Partha Mukherjee.
Then the entire Board of MDAD decided to support the impoverished poor in Murshidabad.
MDAD decided to use its funds to help the poor.
How generous of them!
35-40 Deaf individuals were given packages containing potatoes, tea leaves, oil, rice, etc.
Have a look at the images and video clips.
The NBAD is an association for the North of Bengal.
They are based in Siliguri.
Their Vice President is Mr Sanjay Saha and General Secretary is Kanchan Kumar Saha.
The entire Board observed that daily wage workers such as cycle rickshaw, carpenters, painters, paanwalas, etc.
have all shut shop due to the lockdown. Many are starving.
The NBAD decided to support such people.
They contacted 84 Deaf and people with disabilities who were starving
and told them to gather at a spot. They made to stand in queues maintaing safe distance.
The NBAD then distributed food to the 84 individuals who were very happy and were very thankful.
Have a look at the images.
The WBFDS - sign name - is located in Kolkata.
Their President is Mr Pranabananda Hazra and General Secretary is Mr Sanjib Bose.
Sanjib came up with an idea when he saw daily wage workers such as
cycle rickshaws, coolies, etc are finding it difficult to make ends meet due to loss of work during lockdown.
Sanjib then approached Mr Hazra who agreed to support such people.
Since there was no mode of transportation available, there was no way to help.
Mr Hazra then requested around 30 individuals for support.
They all agreed and even Mr Sumanta from the HDWA gave them funds.
These funds were then distributed to the various districts via bank transfer.
Through this, each district then distributed food to its residents.
Sanjib also met a coolie who was unemployed.
When Sanjib handed the food package to the coolie,
he became very happy. As food is an essential necessity.
Have a look at the video clips and images.
They have supported 60 Deaf individuals.
Trains have stopped. I am a Coolie and now I don't have food to eat.
Since the trains are shut, I have no food to eat.
I have no money as well.
Mr Sanjib gave me food and now I am very happy.
West Bengal is the first to do such an initiative. No one in India has done this.
The 4 associations in West Bengal's different areas, have all worked on these initiatives on their own.
In the end they have all been united in their effort to support the Deaf and people with disabilities.
To feed the starving is priority. Everyone was happy.
The 4 associations hope to eliminate COVID-19 by being united.
We applaud their efforts and are proud of them.