Sahara
Emergency
Relief Program
For COVID-19 Victims
Individuals Supported
COVID-19 Awareness
Trauma/Stress Counselling
Sahaara Emergency Family Relief - Bhiwandi Toilet Construction
Dear Friends of Sahaara,
October 2022 at Sahaara was truly remarkable, as we completed a vital reconstruction project for a community toilet in the Bhiwandi red‐light area. This effort was crucial for trafficked women who depend on the facility. The original structure, nearly four decades old, was in a dangerously dilapidated state, lacking reliable water and electricity connections and featuring broken doors. Amid the global health crisis of Covid-19, these unhygienic and unsafe conditions posed severe risks to women’s health and dignity.
Bringing the facility back to life was no small task. We had to demolish the old structure completely and rebuild from the ground up. Due to the area’s narrow lanes, transporting construction materials was challenging, and ensuring protection against theft required careful coordination. Nonetheless, our team and community partners persevered, reconstructing the community toilet with proper electricity and water supply. The fresh design prioritizes sanitation and security, providing a safe, hygienic space for women to use with confidence.
On 3rd October, the Municipal Commissioner of the Bhiwandi Nizampur City Municipal Corporation officially inaugurated the reconstructed toilet, marking a proud milestone for our organization and the local community. By creating a clean, safe environment in a high‐need area, we are helping restore dignity to those who have faced exploitation.
Sahaara Emergency Family Relief - Phase 4 (SEFR 4)
Launching SEFR Phase 4 – To meet a continuing humanitarian need!
The lockdown in our city of Mumbai and the adjoining 4 districts which form the Mumbai Metropolitan Area is entering its 11th successive week . There is still no end in sight as the Covid infection cases and fatalities are on the rise to record levels day after day and practically the whole mega city is a “Containment Zone” as we enter the first week of June.
The CSWs, Physically challenged and the Vulnerable slum communities which Sahaara is providing emergency relief from March 26th, 2020, are the worst hit of the 450 million daily wage earners in India. They have lost their livelihoods and have not been earning any income for close to 3 months – their condition is precarious and their situation detoriating by the day!
We at Sahaara are committed to stand with our beneficiaries in their time of need even if it is going to take a couple of months more to stabilise. We see a legitimate need to launch the SEFR Phase 4 with effect from June 1st 2020 to continue supporting them with:
- Emergency Food Relief Kit.
- Hygiene Kit (Sanitary Pads, Masks, Oral and Body hygiene products).
- Covid19 Awareness Program.
- Trauma Counseling.
- Need based Rent Relief, Medical and Cooking Fuel Support Services.
As of June 5th 2020 – Sahaara through SEFR has provided Food Security to 10,800 individuals, Covid19 Awareness to 3448 beneficiaries and Trauma Counselled 1268 needy individuals.
It will cost Sahaara INR 1500 per family to provide comprehensive monthly support and we are targeting 1000 families in urgent need through our recent survey for SEFR Phase 4.
Sahaara Emergency Family Relief - Phase 2 (SEFR 2)
It will bring great joy to you all to know that as of date Sahaara has provided emergency food relief to 572 families (PM Thursday, April 9, 2020) – this amounts to providing bread on the table to more than 2300 lives of the victims of Covid19 lockdown.
Apart from this relief effort – we also conducted COVID19 individual awareness sessions for 466 beneficiaries and provided trauma counselling to 94 needy individuals.
Sahara’s Strategy for SEFR Phase 2 is 4 fold:
1.Providing Emergency Family Relief (Food rations)
2. Conducting Awareness on Covid19 to beneficiaries
3.Providing Trauma and Stress Counselling.
4. Providing Emergency Family Relief (To cover rent to limited needy beneficiaries)
The funds required for emergency relief to victims of Covid19 are HUGE even more so with the likelihood of the extension of the lockdown to 30th April, 2020.
We would need your generous financial support to kick start the Phase 2 of our relief operations from Monday, 13th April, 2020 wherein we are targeting to provide relief to another 1000 families.
We want to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support to the vision of Sahaara!
Sahaara Emergency Family Relief - Phase 1 (SEFR 1)
Our nation is under a LOCKDOWN since March 25th, 2020 to stem the spread of the CORONAVIRUS. However these constraints did not prevent us at Sahaara from rendering support to our vulnerable beneficiaries – who live in the red light districts, government homes and slums in Mumbai and its neighboring districts.
Our beneficiaries and their families were the FIRST CASUALTIES of the lockdown since a majority of them were daily wageworkers – this further increased their vulnerability. Sahaara developed a reliable process to provide emergency food relief in kind through effective use of the mobile/video technology and our time proven relationships with community leaders on the ground.
Sahaara launched its “EMERGENCY FAMILY RELIEF PROGRAM” (SEFR) on March 26th, 2020 and our Phase 1 target was to support 500 needy and desperate families in our area of influence. This SEFR Phase 1 project was successfully completed on April 7th, 2020.
Sahaara is now launching the Phase 2 of the Emergency Family Relief Program (SEFR 2) from 13th April 2020 and targets to provide relief to 750 needy families. The cost per beneficiary relief kit is INR 1600 (USD 22).
The Sahaara Relief Kit is designed to take care of an average family size of 4 with FOOD RATIONS for a period of 3 weeks. Each Relief Kit comprises of daily essentials like Rice, Wheat, Oil, Pulses, Sugar, Salt, Onions, Potatoes, Soaps (Wash & Bath) and a Disinfectant.
Sahaara also conducts COVID19 AWARENESS SESSIONS and provides TRAUMA COUNSELLING services for its beneficiaries. Your generous contributions will meet the survival needs of the vulnerable and marginalized families in their hour of need.
