It’s been 6-months that COVID-19 pandemic has put the nation-wide activities on a halt. And, studies show that the virus spread still has to reach its peak. Due to Covid-19, the social activities based on direct interaction are largely on a standstill the digital economy constructed through the internet has become the mainstay of the global social and economic interactions- be it business or education. Undeniably the lockdown created an unpredicted pressure on the system to succour the education of nearly 300 million children across 1.4 million schools in the country. The concept of education changed overnight and in these times of crisis, digital learning has emerged as an indispensable resource for education.
But there is a huge divide on access to this technology. According to the World Bank, only 34 of every 100 Indians have access to the internet meaning nearly 7 of every 10 Indian is out of the digital world. It is necessary to arrest this at this point or a large section of our society will be left behind.
There is also a gender divide. The Mobile Gender Gap Report 2020 released in March by GSMA, an association of industry organization representing interests of mobile network operators worldwide say that while 79% of men own a mobile phone in the country, the number for women is 63%.
The gender gap in mobile internet users is a huge 50%, it states. Access to phones and the internet is not just an economic factor but also social and cultural. If one family has just one phone, there is a good chance that the wife or the daughter will be the last one to use it.
The foremost the expectation is to bring the rural girl child of these villages into the mainstream of the education system by providing them digital education. Apart from not having access to the internet and smartphone, the majority of these girls come from families that themselves lack education. Disruption of schools has completely cut them off from the education system.

A short video narrating the story of the life of people in Anupshahar during COVID-19.

What Are We Doing

On April 8TH 2020 the U.P. government requested the help of PPES to set up a quarantine centre to house 250 individuals. In response, we have opened up our campus to house them. The local police, administration, and government medical team are on site.

We have established a hotline service, which is a toll-free number available for consultation on issues related to problems arising due to the lockdown. We have ten college graduates of PPES managing this hotline service.

We have delivered food and hygiene kits and dry rations to the neediest families who are most severely impacted by the lock down and who have lost their livelihoods.

PPES’s economic empowerment unit; I Village is producing face-masks for the local authorities and population. This is generating employment for 200 women from Anupshahar.

We are working with our self-help group women during the current phase, identifying those most in need.

We are providing regular SMS service, disseminating up-to-date and relevant information. This has become a very important tool for awareness of COVID- 19.

We continue our Telemedical consultations at the Prana Health centre as needed.

We are reaching out to over 120 villages surrounding Anupshahar and we are delivering dry rations and supplies to those families identified by the community development team as the hardest hit by COVID-19.

PPES are campaigning for: Sustaining hope during COVID-19. To support the rural community of Anupshahar.

Requesting your support under five categories:

Food and Ration Kit for a family of 7 people for 1 month: INR 1000 / $15 Per Kit.

A direct cash transfer to cover their basic medicines and necessities: INR 1000/ $15 Per family.

There is an option to make a donation of any amount.

Face Masks Kit containing 10 pairs of reusable Masks: INR 1000/ $15 Per Kit.

Post COVID-19 Rehabilitation Fund to help them get back on their feet once the pandemic is over: INR 2000/ $30, per family.

How Pardada Pardadi are helping

Helpline, masks, ration kits from Pardada Pardadi

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NGOs Provide Healing A Touch In COVID-19 Afflicted India

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Coverage in India Spend: adolescent girls

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Community Produces Thousands of Masks

Read more on The Times Of India

How Pardada Pardadi Are Helping - Weekly Reports

Report 1 Week ending 15/05/2020

Report 3 Week ending 29/05/2020

Report 5 Week ending 12/06/2020

Report 7 Week ending 26/07/2020

Report 9 Week ending 10/07/2020

Report 2 Week ending 22/05/2020

Report 4 Week ending 05/06/2020

Report 6 Week ending 19/06/2020

Report 8 Week ending 03/07/2020