The corona virus has impacted life in every way. Everything has changed, and adapting to the new normal seems difficult. The pandemic has affected the lives and livelihoods of people throughout the world. During these hard times, we tried to help the local community with our initiatives such as:
The corona virus had created havoc with lot of rumors and confusions floating around. People were subjected to a lot of fake information via social media and other sources. One of the major tools to fight any adverse situation, is to be aware and to have a proper understanding of the problem. We conducted workshops in Puri with different doctors and trained professionals ( they had done a certified covid course with travel life), who educated various service providers of the local community from the grass root level (including rickshaw pullers, beach workers, sanitation workers, etc) about the do’s and don’ts regarding the pandemic. They were educated about social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands and other covid norms. This helped the local people be aware of their surroundings and act in a responsible manner.
We also conducted the same workshops for the crew of the blueflag beach which helped them in becoming ready to welcome tourists following all the covid guidelines.
The situation in the koraput valley was grave due to the pandemic. The local markets called “hata” were shut by the government which created a sense of fear amongst the rural tribal community. Further, there were many migrant workers who returned to the valley admist the lockdown, which inculcated more fear within their minds. During such a situation, we invited six doctors from district headquarters to visit various remote villages near our camp desia to educate the common masses about the facts regarding the spread and control of the virus. This helped to settle down the wave of consternation and fear to a great extent. Our volunteers also distributed soaps and masks to the local communities which was symbolic of our willingness to unite against the virus and ensure the safety of the community as far as possible.
Covid had impacted lives in countless ways. people have suffered great losses, especially the ones at the grass root levels who faced such turbulent times where buying their daily bread had become troublesome for them. We tried to extend our helping hand towards hundreds of such people by providing them with ration such as rice and dal for a month which assured at least some sort of stability for them and their family during such difficult and uncertain times.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to fore many issues that range from the economic to social and even psychological issues. This crisis has been a shock to the entire world, and even those who are well privileged have fallen victims to it under many aspects. The health emergency brought about by the pandemic has also made us realize that our healthcare system might not be as robust as we thought it was. The lockdown has led to various mental ailments such as depression and anxiety.Experts have noted that in a times of anxiety and stress such as these, Yoga is one of the most effective ways to maintain a steady state of mind. Those who have recovered from the infectious disease have spoken of how along with a steady supply of a balanced diet and medicines, Yoga helped them sail through. Doctors have stressed that along with physical well-being, mental peace and positivity, too, are important factors in the fight against the pandemic.
So, we decided to combine the calm and peaceful yoga with the scenic and serene nature. This is how we came up with our yoga workshops at the Niladree beach where hundreds of people used to have yoga sessions with trained professionals accompanied by the sound of the waves and the warm morning sun. this helped to spread positivity during such dark times and provided a great start to face the challenges of the day with a peaceful mind.
