Fast-paced lifestyle, densely packed places pertaining to the urban context generally perceived to be the real hotspots for a disaster like covid-19. One side of the lockdown in the urban context resulted in significant decline in air pollution, noise pollution, people slowed down their lifestyles, stayed and worked from home and more importantly need-based utilization of the commodities by the community. When this positive impact pertains only to the certain section of the people, the lockdown impact on the other section of the people – the migrant people – is beyond repair. In search of livelihood, the rural migration to urban areas has become quite a common phenomenon in India. For most of the migrants’ life in urban space is a daily war, struggling to meet the family needs. Most of the women’s major occupation is housemaids, ironing and wage laborers whereas men predominantly employed as construction labourers, painters, electricians etc. When they newly migrate into the urban space, their usual residents will be in one of the slums. Migrants with hope and more hands to earn will have savings to move to a better place in the future. Yet the urban space never offer the usual rent scheme to the migrants especially people who don’t have a constant job. Almost all the migrants will be occupying a house by paying the lease amounts dictated by the house owners, the minimum amount will be one lakh. Conditions like these never allow the migrant families to have a safety net in the face of illness or any other emergencies.

DHAN Foundation through its various thematic programmes – Kalanjiam Foundation, People Mutuals and HOPE – serving as safety nets for the lives of the migrant families as well as low income people living in the urban space. Lockdown impact on their livelihoods is severe and DHAN staff have been with the members ensuring their overall well-beings through distributing groceries, PPEs, tele-medical services etc. In addition to this, DHAN Foundation ensured in creating employment for the Kalanjiam members who are engaged in tailoring activities.

DHAN’s Urban Regions

Chittoor Region

DHAN’s Chittoor region is working in three blocks with two urban federations viz., Chittoor and Madanapalle. Livelihoods of the members include: fruit & vegetable vendors, handlooms, daily wage labors, housemaids, tailoring and petty shops business. Regional staff are in touch with members in ensuring the well-being, to put safe at homes and the entitlement benefits reaching to our members.

Madurai Region

DHAN’s Madurai urban region is working in five locations with six federation associating with 17,089 members(1231 Kalanjiam groups). Most of our Kalanjiam members are daily wage laborers, street vendors, rickshaw pullers, auto drivers, house maids, mill workers and petty shop workers.250 masks were distributed for Kalanjiam households and Anganwadi health workers along with cluster associate and federation leaders. More than 150 members had accessed the tele medical services of Suham doctors. 80 gynecological patients, 52 general medicine consultation, 9 pediatric patients and few other specialized cases had utilized the tele-medicine services. Health PRA has been conducted in143 Kalanjiam households.

Vizag Region

DHAN’s Vizag region is working with 32000 families, in six federations. Vizag region is having 55 clusters, wherein 500 leaders and members voluntarily involved in distributing food to migrants, police officials, destitute and beggars benefitting 15348 people.Groceries items including Rice, Dal, Oil, bread, soap, salt, and wheat flour, papad, biscuits, butter milk, bananas, water melon, and vegetables worth of Rs.6.15 lakhswere distributed to 2053 families. Cluster level local donors’ contributions helped in serving food packets to 11963 members, distributing Rs. 27.43 worth groceries itemsand vegetables worth Rs. 16.29 lakhs to the vulnerable sections.

Vizag region is having 4000 tailoring members, wherein 1003 tailoring members in 43 clusters are employed in stitching masks. So far, they have stitched masks worth Rs. 6.50 lakhs. As of now, 20000 masks have been distributed in the Vizag region. 5634 vulnerable families have been identified so far, wherein 3718 (66%) are supported with groceries/ration through relief activities.