A Valiant COVID relief Volunteer: Santosh B. Mogaveera

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My father is a member of the Gram Panchayat and I first visited the hospital with him. During the rise of the second wave, the panchayat began having talks about procuring medical supplies. About two weeks ago, I sat in on one of the meetings and came to know that they were lacking the finances to purchase medical equipment that will allow the people to practice the covid safety protocols. The panchayat head reached out and asked if anyone was up for donating or fundraising and I, having grown up there, wanted to provide support. I asked Sowmya Moni and Sachin Verma if Inchara could contribute towards helping the hospital procure the necessary equipment and Inchara was very willing to support.

I see, that’s a very noble thought, really. The second question I wanted to ask you was how long has this project been going on, where exactly is it located and what is your process of relief?

Hakladi Gram Panchayat Hospital is located in Udupi, Karnataka. This project has been ongoing for about a few weeks. The meetings regarding raising Covid awareness occurred during the first week of May. After discussing, planning, and finding funds, the project began 2 weeks ago. As of now, the funds have been used well and my contribution to this project is almost over. However, I’m sure I will be willing to continue this in the future if need be.

Were you also actively involved in the hospital? What was your role in spearheading the distribution of funds?

I discussed the usage of the funds and made a list of the required medical equipment the hospital should focus on procuring. I came back to Udupi on Monday to check on the progress of the project. The hospital has let me know that using the funds, they were able to procure many different essential medical equipment, (like oximeter, face masks, gloves, etc.) all of which were being used extensively by people in and around the village.

How has this affected the lives of the people? Have you seen any progress in the last two weeks?

As I said, the hospital has been able to procure advanced equipment. There are people from neighboring villages who walk 2 to 3 kilometers every day to come and get checked at the hospital. They are able to use equipment like oxygen cylinders, oximeters, gloves, face masks, or just any regular checkups. It is definitely helping transform the area and make it healthier.

That’s wonderful to hear! I have one last question to ask you. How do you think organizations like Inchara can contribute to covid relief? What roles can they play in this process?

I am very grateful to Inchara for being able to give me a donation in short notice. Donations like these are the most useful ways by which I think CSR organizations can take action because if there is a person like me- on the ground- who is able to understand what the local people need, I can convey it to a bigger CSR organization like Inchara and I will be able to redirect the funds and get the local people the help they need.

SANTOSH B. MOGAVEERA