Community Spotlight Covid19 Response covid outreach Goa

Covid Outreach Goa is one of the many groups who has done a fantastic job mobilizing volunteers to provide onground aid. What sets them apart from some of the others though is their use of data to help plan longer term strategies to better support vulnerable migrant communities across Goa. If you haven’t already we highly recommend checking out their website when you are done reading their story. You’ll see clearly how they are trying to use data collection to help empower day laborers across Goa.
https://sites.google.com/browntape.com/covidoutreachgoa?fbclid=IwAR0tKO0cLPJwAB1nQzRStmwptrcU4yhJIU59SOHbVBESg-JPFvitsRkRvtg

How did Covid Outreach Goa come together?

Like most people we mutely watched the impact of the pandemic lockdown and the complete unpreparedness to deal with it . On one hand, relief measures were being announced by the Central Government and on the other ,people were receiving desperate calls from daily labour they had hired at some point. The first week showed the glaring stark contrast of citizens scrambling to get their gourmet fix while large numbers hadn’t eaten in days with no recourse to their next meal. Unable to stomach this, Miriam responded to one such SOS put out on March 30th on her GIM Alumni Group for a group of 200 rokda labourers from MP. Rustling up resources from friends, she served the first cluster on April1. From there on it was a heartwarming groundswell  of wholly voluntary contributions from all corners.

How many volunteers are supporting the initiative? And what sort of work were they involved in before the lockdown?

Roughly hundred. The team formed quite organically and ironically the first lot came from the very same gourmet fix group- the Dona Paula Neighbourhood Support Group. Restaurateurs, Techpreneurs, DJ’s, Architects, Counsellors, Writers, Lawyers, Artists, Students all rolled up their sleeves to get things done. Right from packing, inventory management , data collection , data entry, and of course the big daddy of them all, distribution. Soon volunteers from the GHH helpline came through. We also had individuals sitting at home (many senior citizens) making bags for us. It became a true citizens’ movement. Eventually, the people from the clusters we served came on board as volunteers 🙂

Covid Outreach Goa has an amazing website and dashboard created to track your on ground work. Can you tell us a bit more about how that was developed? Why did you think it was important to have such a database? And how are you keeping it so up to date?

It was born out of necessity. As our clusters grew at an alarming rate, we needed support financially, socially and institutionally.The quickest way to get that was to document and showcase our work as it happened. It served to provide credence and appeal. Our pool of volunteers, a communications expert, a tech expert and an on-ground videographer documenter have made it happen.

What have been some of the bigger challenges you have faced while trying to work on ground?

From the tiny logistical ones like getting 600 bags daily (with no suppliers) to larger issues like taking rations for 300 and finding 900 people at the cluster. Or facing hostility from urban quarters w.r.t to our motives and agenda. Getting mobbed by desperate families.Getting verifications and due process done. Spreading information on schemes made available. Onboarding the clusters into the Government net. Listening to the hardships (abuse, anger, hunger and indifference) faced by migrants specifically. Organising their return back home.

What has been the most rewarding part of this experience?

Being blessed by recipients whole heartedly. Organising migrants’ return back home. Getting ‘Reached-home-safely thank you messages from them’. The swell of Collective voluntarism from all walks of life at the most unexpected times.

What do you need support with? / How can people help you continue this work?

The biggest help is in spreading the word and executing the plan to restore livelihoods of all who have lost them. Leads of people, institutions, projects that can help generate employment opportunities and see it through.

How many migrants/day laborers have you feed/supported thus far?

Starting at 200 we’ve served nearly 5000 + daily wage workers at last count.

What is the most common misconception you see people making about the work you are doing?

We’ve been too busy working to notice 🙂

We saw the initiative you started to help migrants looking for work connected with potential job opportunities. Can you tell us a bit more about this initiative?
How and why you started it?

Ration and Food distribution was to be a Temporary relief measure that extended beyond its time for reasons beyond our control. It became clear that the only way to reduce dependence of the groups or Govt measures or charity was to provide access to work.We were already collecting exhaustive data for verification to handover to the Government. From this COGOLD (Covid Outreach Goa Online Directory) was created.

What sort of successes have you seen so far through the system?

Too early to tell, but the response has been encouraging with key people and institutions being responsive to this idea.

How can people help make this initiative more successful?

Add to the directory with geographical and skill spread.Provide relevant linkages to people, projects and platforms. Encourage people to employ who they can where they can.