The global health crisis impacts everyone. However, people living in extreme poverty are especially vulnerable to the health consequences and economic instability the Covid-19 pandemic has caused. And in May 2021, the pandemic took a deadly turn in India.
With millions of families already in deep distress due to the first wave in 2020, the consequences of this second wave drove more people into poverty and hunger. Those already facing food insecurity struggled even more. Because of India’s months-long lockdown, lives came to a standstill. Without the ability to earn their livelihoods, families living in extreme poverty faced a hunger crisis.
We knew we had to step up to support Trickle Up program participants and their families living in rural and remote areas weather the impacts of the pandemic. Working together with trusted community partners, our team in India mobilized a comprehensive Covid-19 Response Program to distribute:
- Immediate relief to address food insecurity;
- Credible information and hygiene supplies to help combat the spread of Covid-19;
- Seed kits to support balanced nutrition and aid in restoring lost livelihoods.
Together with our community of funders, donors and partners, we were able to equip 6,800 households — approximately 35,000 people total — with the tools they needed to withstand this crisis.
