Rising inequality and discrimination are depriving people of their basic needs Together, we can change this
Kajal Kumari lives with her husband, Aakash and her in-laws in Jakkanpur in Patna, Bihar. Aakash is a daily wage laborer and did not have a regular source of income; the financial burden increased when Kajal became pregnant. Not only was she anemic, but she also developed complications. She would have gone through her entire pregnancy without checkups, had Oxfam India and the community-based organisation (CBO) not worked in Jakkanpur to raise awareness about the improved public healthcare facilities in the vicinity. With support from people like you, Kajal was able to receive quality healthcare without the added expense and delivered a healthy baby.
Oxfam India with our NGO partner Badlao set up 14 Sal leaf plate making machines in Godda, Jharkhand. The plan was to organise and scale up the trade through a women’s federation. Kusmaha village was provided with one of the hand-pressed plate making machines and a women's collective—Gulanjbaha Mahila Mandal—began operating it from 24 October 2020. Earlier, Kusmaha villagers used to sell one bhinda (20 handmade plates) for Rs 2 to petty traders. After the machine was set up, the group has been able to make a net profit of at least Rs 10 from one bhinda.
Gitanjali Kandi ran a small petty shop, on the footpath, selling fried groundnuts to tourists just outside of the Konark Sun Temple. Making ends meet wasn't easy earlier and COVID-19 made the situation worse. Gitanjali had to shut her shop due to COVID-19 regulations. Oxfam India has been responding to the COVID-19 crisis in 16 states. Gitanjali’s was one of the 450 families that Oxfam India reached out in Odisha with the support of Give India Foundation. The Rs 5000, though a small amount, helped Gitanjali to start her shop again. She bought raw groundnut with the money and started processing it for sale. She also bought masks and sanitizers to comply with the lockdown rules.
In Uttar Pradesh, merely 51% of schools have electricity and about 3% have a functional computer. Which nearly meant 34.70 million children missing their classes due to lack of internet facilities during the lockdown. And a majority of these would be children from marginalised communities. Oxfam India with its education partner, Lokmitra, found a way to go round the digital divide. It engaged volunteers who were trained by SMC members and teachers, over the phone, to take classes offline while following safety measure to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. 33 teachers trained volunteers in offline classes. With support from people like you, SMC members were able to ensure that classes weren't disrupted just because the children did not have access to the internet.
Millions of people in India face discrimination on the basis of their gender, caste and economic backgrounds. These interwoven and complex inequalities further divide our societies and make the voices of millions go unheard. Unequal societies tend to have higher levels of inequality and poverty.
As a non-profit organization in India, we are working to end discrimination and inequality. We are here to beat discrimination and inequality. We believe in creating a society where people are not forced to fight for their right to life and security, to be heard, right to education, health, shelter, food and water. All lives are equal, and no one should face discrimination in realizing their rights. We believe the time to act is now.
Oxfam India, an NGO in India believes in the power of people. We work with communities, local partners and supporters to fight discrimination. Donate to the best charity in India to educate a child, provide access to healthcare, and build a better world.
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