CRED members across India have come together to protect over 500,000 frontline professionals in the battle against COVID-19. Anyone sacrificing their own safety for the larger good of the society is no less than a hero, and CRED members believe that “Every hero deserves a mask”. The community will contribute surgical masks to those who serve the most vulnerable while the rest of India practises social distancing. This effort will protect healthcare workers at primary health centres (PHCs), the first line of defence for vulnerable sections of society, including pharmacists, MHWs, and ASHA workers.
In the past two days, over 15,000 CRED members have come forward for this initiative by spending CRED coins that have gone towards protecting more than 100,000 health workers. Their contributions will be channelled through online platform GiveIndia to Child Rights and You (CRY), which will distribute the masks on the ground.
GiveIndia CEO Atul Satija said: “We are humbled that all the members of CRED want to partner with us during this unprecedented emergency. Wanting to help those who are helping us by doing their job, highlights the strength of humanity. We hope by joining forces with organisations like CRED, we can make a real difference.”
Global supply chain challenges and high costs have resulted in a shortage of masks and personal protection equipment, creating dangerous conditions of work for frontline professionals. Social distancing – while critical to containing the spread of the virus – is a privilege that millions of Indians do not have, and at a time of immense physical isolation, it’s never been more important for communities to come together and look out for one another. The CRED community has undertaken this initiative stating their belief that the real heroes in this battle are those who go out into the field every day at risk to themselves and their families, with the intent to make a difference at a time of unprecedented need.
During the first phase of this project, CRY will work in four blocks to donate masks which include Delhi, Gurugram, Faridabad and Panchkula covering 450 primary healthcare centres. As the movement grows, the initiative will expand to other locations in India.
Puja Marwaha, CEO at CRY, said: Child Rights and You said, “Currently, our country is going through an overwhelming crisis caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, and we are committed to do everything to prevent and delay further spreading of the virus. Responding to the emerging needs of the hour, we would support healthcare workers like the ANMs, AWC workers, MHWs and ASHAs with an adequate supply of masks and gloves, to ensure that they are safe and well-protected while reaching out to serve children, expecting and lactating mothers in our intervention areas.”
“It’s truly reassuring to join hands with CRED as they come on board through GiveIndia initiative, with an aim to support healthcare workers. We do believe that, together, we will be able to address the challenge of limited supplies of personal protective equipment for the health workers in the worst affected of our intervention areas,” Ms Marwaha added.