Kohima, October 28 (MExN): A group of socially conscious and road friendly citizens today rolled out a donation drive to support people affected by the pandemic.
As part of their campaign called the ‘Road Ashram’, the team is travelling along the borders of India, covering nearly 25000 km and 30 states, in about 60 days in a specially modified car.
The team has travelled along the China and Nepal borders in Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.
They further went to Kolkata where they met some not for organisations and eminent people of the city including the mayor.
In Sikkim they met with eminent and influencing citizens including Bhaichung Bhutia. They went to Bhutan border in Jaigaon, West Bengal. Later, they travelled to Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.
They are arriving in Kohima this evening and intend to engage with people and discuss the humanitarian impact of COVID-19 and the restrictions imposed because of social distancing.
Amidst the medical crisis and the safety measures, there has also been tremendous damage to the social structure wherein innumerable people have lost their jobs, healthcare has become difficult, children have been affected due to lack of immunization and erratic education, the group wrote. The effects range further into increased poverty, instances of early marriages, malnutrition and making of laws in an arbitrary fashion while we are all dealing with this chaotic situation. According to a recent survey, industrial workers lost nearly 5 million jobs after the Coronavirus lockdown. Data also suggests that millions of people could slip into poverty by the end of the year, it added.
The purpose of Road Ashram is to bring attention to all these stories of people and ensure that we do not limit ourselves to measuring the impact of the pandemic to the medical crisis, it informed.
This humanitarian crisis that has surfaced will take much longer and a lot of collective will and effort to resolve and “we all will have to keep striving to find our feet back on stable ground,” a release received here stated.
“As conscious citizens of the country, we can’t just sit and let this happen,” shared Siddhartha Dutta, who will be navigating the routes during the trip.
“The nonprofit sector is doing whatever is possible with the available resources. But it is not enough. These organisations, especially the grassroots level NGOs need immediate support to continue their life saving work. Through Road Ashram campaign, we wish to appeal to everyone to make a generous contribution to the cause,” he said.
On the name ‘Road Ashram’, Ahmer Siddiqui, one of the campaign team members and the driver of Road Ashram, explained, “The idea is to stay on the road – in our very own, personally crafted car, that we have decided to call ‘Road Ashram’. Through our 60 day drive on the kacha-pakka roads on the borders, we wish to raise awareness and resources to help people facing difficulties due to the pandemic. Alongside, we will share videos and stories of India’s diverse cultures, places, and everything else that make India what it is –a diverse, colourful and fascinating India.”
The team has invited people to follow the campaign through www.roadashram.in and social media channels.
Meanwhile, Road Ashram Campaign group has also invited media persons for an interaction on October 29 at 12:00 noon at Made in Nagaland Centre, opposite Civil Secretariat before they continue their journey from Kohima.
