Personal Stories from IDES COVID-19 Relief Efforts

Akash

Akash is a student from our own school. He studies under a full-time scholarship from NICM, and he and his family were victims of the crisis. For a while now, he had been eating plain rice without a proper portion of vegetables (like onions or potatoes), masala and pulses. He was extremely appreciative of receiving a month’s supply of potatoes, onions, rice, pulses, sugar, salt, tea leaves, cooking oil and medical supplies like masks, gloves, bars of soap, liquid soap, detergent powders and hand sanitizers etc. His family, too, gladly received the aid, as they will not have to struggle this month. They will have full bellies for a while as long as this pandemic lasts (hopefully not too long). Akash has sisters and a mother. No one should have to see girls, women and elderly suffer, and we have alleviated their suffering. Thank you, IDES.

Poornima

Poornima is an old lady who lives with her son and grandchild. Her son’s wife passed away from a disease. They reside at one of the villages where Pastor Robin leads a Church. They gave their lives to Christ and have adopted the Church as their spiritual home. Regularly attending Church, her son, Madan, had been requesting for a miracle to help them with food since he lost his job due to the pandemic. Being a brick maker, he already had a difficult time bringing food to the table to support his mother and child. In fact, he had told Pastor Robin a few days before receiving aid that he wanted to commit suicide because of pathetic he felt about not being able to put a very basic necessity like food on the table for his young daughter and very old mother. The pandemic made things even worse for them when his employer had to close down operations and suspend their workers without pay. However, NICM (through IDES) were able to answer his prayers and supply needs. He eats well without the worry of seeing his mother and child suffer during this lockdown. Seeing how vulnerable his mother and daughter are due to their old and young ages respectively, he does not have to worry about them becoming weak and falling prey to the virus. Thank you.