PATNA: At Sindhauli block in Bihar’s Sasaram district, a group of five women has formed a WhatsApp group for disseminating information on how to break the chain of Covid infection.
Madhu Upadhyay, the uppramukh of Sindhauli block, and her team have roped in more than 4,000 women for the purpose. “Hello Bahan”(HelloSister), the WhatsApp group, is their tool to disseminate Covid-related information to the womenfolk.
Madhu has to her credit many achievements. Her block was the first to be declared open defecation free in Bihar. She started the group soon after the Janata curfew was imposed on March 22. Apart from 4,500 suscribers, the group has educated over 20,000 women so far in the district on practices of precautions against the Covid-19.
Every member of the “ Hello-Sister” WhatsApp group disseminate information to at least five women in their areas. “We took a resolve collectively that we would call five other sisters on mobile and inform them on how to avoid Corona. Those five sisters then go on to help five other sisters and a chain follows,” Madhu said.
“These women are connected to each other through mobile phones. We share all information in Hindi, videos and other precautionary measures related literatures and explain the women how to follow the instructions and share,” she said. Sasaram is one of the five districts under red zone with more than 156 Covid cases reported so far. “The plan is to alert at least 50,000 women, motivating each of them to educate next five women on the precautions of Covid,” Madhu said, adding that many women have also created similar WhatsApp groups adding each of the members to operate this chain of volunteers.