As the pandemic began, the underprivileged section was seen bearing the brunt of its repercussions and observing its worst side.
We live in a digital world where, from learning to social work, everything has moved online. It
became the need of the hour when the world shut down last year. Many organizations came forward to extend a helping hand through their NGOs and health care facilities. One such organization was Fuzia, a global online women’s networking community.
From contributing through donations, providing online learning opportunities, to wellness services, Fuzia did its best trying to make a difference in the community. It is acting as a ray of hope for not only the underprivileged section but also students and working women. These are desperate times, and even a little help goes a long way. We saw the kind nature of humanity when the internet community came together during these uncertain times to help.
With the sudden announcement of a nationwide lockdown in March 2020, thousands of migrant workers and others wanted to return to their hometowns. The ones who decided to stay back had no access to necessities like food and essentials as they lost their sources of income. Several NGOs around the country came together to help the migrant workers and members of the underprivileged communities at this time of severe need.
Sneha Vishwas, a 34-year-old social worker from Indore, was a witness of this misery and despair as she set out on her daily supply run in the slums, during the first phase of COVID-19 lockdown. Armed with masks and sanitizer, as she started distributing the food, a little boy approached her asking to take a look at his sister in a nearby tent. Vishwas says “I hurriedly followed him and discovered his sister unconscious on the floor. They hadn’t eaten in days and had no one to look after them. I drove her to a nearby clinic, where the doctors started her on glucose. Fortunately, she regained consciousness and began to feel better after eating some of the packed food I had brought.”
This was one of many cases Vishwas encountered during the lockdown. Even without the pandemic, these people go without food, clothing, other basic essentials or are victims of disasters and violence. Many people solely relied on the NGOs to help them. Amongst the many social activist platforms that have come forward in these difficult times, Fuzia.org is also on a mission to uplift the vulnerable and needy.
They are working for the young individuals, women, and girls to get their life back on track amidst the pandemic. The organization contributes 5% of its revenue to support them. Even with the government doing its best for all sections of the society, sometimes it isn’t enough given the huge country India is.
This is why the NGOs have to step into the picture to fulfill the needs of the community. The government itself connects with NGOs to help them with the awareness campaigns and supply the essentials. In such times of crisis, learning, a significant aspect of every society, also took a pause for a while as schools/colleges shut down but resumed soon after virtually.
Although we continued with the online classes, there are certain lessons we need to learn on our own. The internet is an ocean of knowledge and while we cannot absorb all of it, there are certain platforms that can help us take in the selective and relevant information.
One such platform is the Learning & Education section of Fuzia that was observed to help, encourage and nurture people through the learning opportunities that they offer. They cover topics such as networking, mentorship, career and personality development, and financial management. With changing times and growing safety concerns, such a platform can be utilized to enhance existing skills and also learn new concepts.
Not just India, but learners from across the globe have benefitted from the platform and continue
to do so. This can help them decide on future career prospects and make a wise decision with enough time in hand. Also, what’s better than learning directly from industry experts? A short one-hour interactive session with an expert can steer you in the right direction regarding your career, finance, and networking.
People in these times are also becoming more aware and conscious of their overall wellbeing as a healthy mind resides in a healthy body. And for that, we need to make sure to take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. Our physical and mental health took a serious hit with the pandemic and we still feel it all around. COVID anxiety became quite common along the way and the symptoms and effects of the condition were itself nerve wracking.
This is why taking care of your health has become paramount to the pandemic. We might have a vaccine, but until we all are fully inoculated, it’s important to stay alert and take precautions. In a country like India, mental health is not given much relevance, mainly because of the stigma associated with it.
However, talking of the positive side, thousands of people in such a time were noticed believing in online wellness services like Fuzia Wellness, that has made it a priority to take care of the overall health and wellbeing of its members and many others during these horrid times and after. It is bringing health care to everyone by providing a dependable, confidential, and accessible platform for women all over the world.
The burden of work and home has fallen more on women, leaving them unable to care for themselves. Already exhausted, these women have to care for children and complete household chores with little or no assistance from their partners.
A virtual one-on-one session with a health expert can assist them in better coping with their current situation. These small steps from women empowerment platforms like Fuzia are making a lot of difference in the community. #KhabarLive #hydnews
(Author: Shraddha Varma, Co-Founder of Fuzia.)
