ZCZC
BSS-01
CORONA-DESTITUTE-FOODSTUFFS (with picture)
1,567 households get foodstuffs, financial support in Rajshahi
RAJSHAHI, May 3, 2020 (BSS) – Some 1,567 destitute households were given foodstuffs and financial support to minimise their hardship caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in the region.
Of them, 285 were given a packet containing ten kilograms of rice, five kilograms of potato, two kilograms of flour and pulse each, one kilogram of salt and sugar each, one liter of edible oil, eight soaps, ten packets of ORS and four face masks each at their respective doorsteps through maintaining social distancing.
As lifesaving support, another 1,282 families comprising chronically ill, elderly, beggars, homeless, vagabonds, widow, abandoned women, ethnic minority, street children, daily wage earner, pregnant and lactating women, small farmers and transgender were given a total of Taka 21,46,850 in cash.
Rajshahi regional office of Caritas Bangladesh provided the supports as emergency works to respond to COVID-19 in 20 upazilas of Rajshahi, Chapainawabgonj, Naogaon, Natore, Pabna, Sirajgonj and Joypurhat districts and Rajshahi city areas over the past one week.
Regional Director of Caritas Sukleash George Costa told BSS that the families were given 18 sets of personal protective gears like gown, head gown, goggles and gloves, 2,200 hygiene kits, 2,250 face masks, 10 liters and 75 bottles hand sanitizer, 70,000 leaflets and 250 festoons.
Side by side with the humanitarian and protective support, many of the marginalized populations were brought under various motivational and awareness campaigns to fight COVID-19 outbreak.
“We are disseminating ideas among the community people on how to use the protective gears effectively besides maintaining social and physical distancing,” said Sukleash Costa.
Besides, the community people are also learning about how to wash hands and follow other health related guidelines to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The field level workers are disseminating the messages in all the communities explaining how the coronavirus spreads, how people can protect themselves and their families from its infection and how they can understand symptoms of the disease and seek healthcare.
As a whole, they are disseminating awareness messages on coronavirus among the community people so that they can protect themselves from the invisible enemy, he added.
Sukleash Costa said the awareness campaign is being conducted for protecting the marginalized populations from the virus infection in addition to the scheduled works of the development organization.
BSS/AH/MMA/1045HRS