Helping Hands
The second wave of COVID-19 overwhelmed the healthcare infrastructure in India, with hospitals struggling with limited supplies of treatment essentials and people left scrambling for hospital admissions, drugs and oxygen cylinders. In response to the second wave, ChildFund India accelerated its efforts to protect communities that experienced vulnerability and support the medical community. In this context, in June 2021, ChildFund India partnered with New Delhi Television Limited (NDTV) for a 2-hour live telethon titled ‘#HelpingHands’, which was supported by WhatsApp. The telethon was organized for raising funds to help the medical community and needy people across India.
SDGs Covered
Funds raised during the telethon were used for:
- COVID-19 Care Centres: Setting up of child-friendly COVID-19 centres and COVID-19-specific paediatric units
- Vaccine Drive: Starting vaccination drives in several districts of rural India, along with spreading awareness and dispelling misinformation and rumours
- Protect Children and Adults from Subsequent Waves: Preparing to combat the possible third wave by strengthening local healthcare facilities
- Livelihood Support: In the long term, providing livelihood support for those who lost their jobs due to the pandemic.
