Dry Food and Clothing Drive: A Beacon of Hope Amidst the Pandemic

For many, the pandemic has wrecked the very lifeline of getting relief and basic amenities. In between the third wave of COVID-19, we try to reestablish support lines in the communities at Habra.

A lot has changed ever since the pandemic hit this village in 2020. Something that has become what people call ‘the new normal.’ For a population already struggling to make ends meet, COVID-19 has become overwhelming to tackle. But, we at Promise Unbound believe that even small steps taken in the right direction can bring positive changes.

Understanding the growing concentration of population in West Bengal, which is ranked #2 among the Indian states with the highest population density in 2021 – we have been focusing on carrying out initiatives in Atulia to create a more profound, long-lasting impact within the community. Unlike the previous years when we could bring together collective efforts to organize several drives across the year – 2021 has been excruciating to get volunteers on the field because of the disastrous effect of the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India.

Thanks to our patrons, CodeClouds and Zioks, who stepped up in collecting old undamaged clothes, stationery, food supplies, having sponsored our drives in the past, we could finally gather enough volunteers to organize dry food and old clothes distribution drive on October 9th. As we began the drive, we realized that the men, women, and children here have been through so much because of the ongoing social distancing norms, which they barely know anything about. Additionally, the many places they would visit to receive aid or relief have closed down because of the pandemic, limiting their chances to get by.

Given the vulnerability of the population there, we tried to educate them about the ongoing safety protocols and the importance of using masks – something they didn’t have either.

It may not seem much, but we definitely won’t take long to get back again to these precious smiles, this time with more hope and love to share.

If you’d like to volunteer in West Bengal, or would like to contribute to our drives, you can do so by heading to our ‘get involved’ page where you can learn more about how you can give back to the community. Every bit of effort made can go a long way in making a difference to the lives of these people in Habra and giving them a new chance at living life the way it is meant to be lived.