THE PANDEMIC

During the two years that our schools were closed, CR staff continued working to help people endure the Pandemic by initiating a vaccination program, providing food during lockdowns, feeding the homeless, teaching our students through WhatsApp and in person whenever possible, and creating a music video to encourage vaccination.

VACCINATION PROGRAM

India had over 45 million COVID cases and over 500,000 COVID deaths.

In partnership with the District Department of Health, CR vaccinated over 35,000 people during the Pandemic.

Vaccine hesitancy was a major problem in the Villupuram District, particularly in the rural areas. CR’s vaccination program worked to overcome people’s fears with a 3-part program:

• Education for villagers regarding efficacy and safety of vaccine including a Door-to-Door campaign to increase awareness and register people for vaccinations.

• Vaccination Camp that included pre-vaccination health check up, information regarding possible side effects, snacks, on site ambulance, 5 kg rice bag for each person vaccinated.

• Post Vaccine Reassurance Effort included phone calls to each vaccinated person to monitor reactions and record side effects, nurse on call throughout the night following vaccinations to answer questions and provide assistance, help with government vaccination certificates.

FIRST LOCKDOWN: FEEDING THE HUNGRY

DURING INDIA’S FIRST LOCKDOWN CR PROVIDED OVER 11,000 FAMILIES WITH A WEEK OF GROCERIES.

When India suddenly announced the lockdown on March 24, 2020, over 85% of CR’s students’ family income was reduced to zero in a single day. They had no savings or unemployment benefits to carry them through. They were hungry.

We quickly transitioned from providing education to supplying basic food needs for the people in the villages where we work. In addition, we helped with food resources for homes for the handicapped, elderly, gypsies, transgender community, and other marginalized groups in our area.

STREET FEEDING PROGRAM

Since the start of the pandemic, we have provided over 44,400 hot meals to the homeless living on the streets of Villupuram.

Villupuram, is the largest town in the Villupuram District with a population of about 1 million. There are no soup kitchens or food banks. After the lockdown in 2020, we started reaching out to the homeless traveling by motorbike and rickshaw to deliver food throughout the city. The program is still continuing.

PANDEMIC EDUCATION PROGRAM

CR’S FEED AND READ (FAR) PROGRAM provided over 2000 of our students with books and school supplies, masks and snacks.

 Our students were out of school for 2 years. There was no distance learning for these children. The resources simply weren’t available. Whenever possible, we traveled to our schools to distribute supplies and snacks, read stories, work on writing and art projects, and talk to the children. Primary school students returned to class on February 2, 2022.

CR’S STORYTIME WAS A WHATSAPP READ ALOUD PROGRAM. OUR STUDENTS LISTENed TO 300 STORIES.

CR teachers read to the students in Tamil and English 5 days a week. After 15 months, the program closed so teachers could work on the vaccination program.