Humanitarian Response  from IMAGE-K Project to address COVID 19

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Initiatives for Married Adolescent Girls’ Empowerment (IMAGE) is an innovative and integrated initiative to address the issues of Early Married Girls (EMGs) in Karnataka state of India. Funded by Terre des Hommes-Netherlands (TdH-NL), the project is being implemented by the consortium in 5 selected districts of Bagalkot, Belgaum, Bidar, Chamrajnagar and Chikkaballapur.

Bidar, Bagalkot, Belgaum, Chamrajnagara and Chikkaballapur districts are the worst affected districts in  Karnataka by this COVID 19 pandemic. Because of this pandemic, Workers in the informal sector, particularly street vendors, construction workers, healthcare and gig economy workers are the most adversely impacted sections following the restrictions imposed to fight coronavirus.

In response to the COVID 19 crisis, in spite of many challenges, IMAGE-K project has taken various measures for the humanitarian response to the vulnerable people in collaboration with its field partners – Vidyanikethan, REACH, SEVAK, PMSR and ARPANAM Trust in 5 districts of  Karnataka. The highlights of relief measures are as follows

  1. Distributed Dry rations kits which include Cereals, pulses, oil, sugar etc for emergency relief to 1401 vulnerable and marginalised families from 146 villages who are victims and survivors of Early Child Marriages. 
  2. Provided Hygiene Kits which include Face Masks, Sanitisers, liquid hand wash, gloves and soaps for protection and hygiene to 1822 Vulnerable families.
  3. Conducted various virtual meetings to build the capacity of field team members for protection and prevention measures on COVID 19.
  4. Developed 19 types of IEC materials with the support of Child Rights Trust (CRT) and distributed 21,000 IEC Materials on COVID 19 to create awareness to the Early Married Girls (EMGs), Survivors, Families and communities.
  5. Engaged 128 EMGs and Survivors by conducting the Rangoli competition, who have aware people on COVID 19 through floor art and also engaged 139 EMGs and Survivors in  Posters competition on COVID 19.
  6. Support is given to Health workers and IEC materials are also dis
    tributed to Government offices on COVID 19.

The project has rolled out these relief measures from 12th May 2020 to 30th May 2020 by the field team members with the support of local leaders, PRI Members, grassroots levels government workers like ASHAs and AWWs and local CSOs.

Now the project is conducting virtual online capacity building training to build the capacity of EMGs and staff. Also, motivate and support them to access the different Government welfare schemes from the State and Central government.

Thanks to Terre des Hommes-Netherlands for their valuable support and all the team members from the field partners of IMAGE Consortium for successful execution.