As the fight against the Coronavirus pandemic continues, SEEDS, a leading humanitarian organisation, has partnered with Honeywell India to distribute food and hygiene kits across five cities - Bengaluru, Delhi, Gurugram, Madurai and Pune. The ongoing drive seeks to provide more than 3.7 million meals to families that have been rendered helpless by the COVID-19 crisis. Additionally, a month’s supply hygiene kits are being distributed to more than 12,300 families.
“Through our continuous efforts to reach out to the bottommost 1 per cent vulnerable communities, SEEDS is committed to providing dry ration, family hygiene and PPE kits, and financial support to those who are most in need to fight against the COVID-19 crisis, said Dr Manu Gupta, Co-Founder, SEEDS, adding, “It saddens us to see people struggling for sustenance, and we are determined to help them to the best of our capabilities. For us, saving lives is most important.”
Adding to it, Dr Akshay Bellare, President, Honeywell India, said, “As a responsible corporate citizen, Honeywell has been contributing to COVID-19 relief efforts in the country. We have donated Honeywell air purifiers to the government, and our 180 safe water stations continue to provide water to communities while ensuring social distancing. Through our partnership with SEEDS we hope to reach out to the most vulnerable with food and hygiene kits that are now essential for their survival.”
Flagging off relief efforts in the national capital, Manish Sisodia, Deputy Chief Minister of Delhi, said, “It is commendable that SEEDS and Honeywell, who have a longstanding engagement with the communities of East Delhi, has come forward during the current crisis with food and hygiene kits. This shows how committed and invested they are with the local communities.”
Each food kit comprises rice, wheat flour, sugar, pulses, cooking oil, and salt that should be sufficient to feed a nuclear family for at least a month. Hygiene kits include bathing and washing soaps, detergents, disinfectants, and sanitary and bath towels.
Talking about the initiative, Amit Khatri, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, Gurugram, said, “SEEDS and Honeywell have put together a comprehensive set of relief materials that includes food supplies and good quality hygiene kits. We are happy to partner with them to distribute these materials to around 2,000 needy families around industrial areas in Gurugram. These organisations have also come forward to supply schools and hospitals with disinfectants, which is critical to contain the spread of COVID-19.”
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak and countrywide lockdown, SEEDS’ local response teams have carried out relief assistance to the most vulnerable and invisible communities across India. Team members are addressing the local and contextual needs of adversely affected communities in collaboration with local authorities.
A robust triangulation, distribution, and monitoring mechanism have been established to reach out to those in distress. Financial and essential services are being provided to support daily wage earners, and hygiene kits and dry rations are being distributed to marginalised families, daily wage earners, old age homes, and orphanages.
In a nutshell
The relief drive by SEEDS in partnership with Honeywell India seeks to provide more than 3.7 million meals to families that have been rendered helpless by the COVID-19 crisis.