Jeevan Rath
Action to rescue the victims at the centre of the Socio-Economic crisis of Covid-19 in India.
The announcement of lockdown in March 2020, following the COVID-19 pandemic, shook the lives of everyone, especially the migrant labourers. They were rendered jobless and with no choice but to return home. With no wages and ration stock, inhumane travel options of overcrowded trains, crammed trucks, and lack of proper transportation only added to their woes as they, along with their families, were left to fend for themselves. Much to their despair, they took to walking back home in the sultry late summer weather.
Jeevan Rath 1.0
Over one lakh migrant labourers, mostly hailing from poor, disadvantaged communities and walked back home during the nascent phase of Jeevan Rath (from May 13th- May 31st), were provided with immediate food relief and basic medical support (basic ointment to heal their cuts and wounds sustained due to the arduous journey). A Jeevan Rath ‘Relief on Wheels’ truck, was stationed at a few strategic locations – the toll nakas, highways, expressways in the cities where the labourers assembled – and distributed cooked meals twice a day, with water and fruits such as bananas, apples and pears throughout the day. About 5 trucks were deployed around Mumbai, Thane, Dahisar, Pune, Vasai and Virar. This relief work was executed by RISE Infinity Foundation in collaboration with 25 partners.
Jeevan Rath 2.0
While the first phase of Jeevan Rath ended on May 31st, the second phase (from June 1st to July 31st) worked extensively towards providing the stranded helpless citizens with travel assistance and relief measures like travel arrangements, cash assistance and distribution of masks, ration kits, sanitary napkins covering over 24 states. A Crisis Management Centre (CMC) with a 18×7 helpline was set up to track, provide support and ensure that the migrants have reached home safely. The helpline has tracked over 70,000 migrant labourers and ensured their safe journey. About 1,22,000 migrants were reached out to for assisting with their journey back home. Despite of all the uncertainties and challenges faced across the state borders in securing clearances, we were also able to verify that 87% of the migrants who were helped, reached their homes successfully.
The migrants walking their way home towards states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar from Mumbai were extensively traced by the CMC helpline and also provided shelter, food, and travel service in ‘nivara’ centres set up by local authorities on the highways in collaboration with UNICEF Maharashtra and partner organisations.
Apart from travel and medical assistance, Jeevan Rath extended help in challenging situations where they had to deal with mental health counselling of the labourers and even have rescued women from domestic violence cases. In a few cases, Rise Infinity Foundation, helped raised funds for the rehabilitation of the migrant labourers.
Our Partners
RISE Infinity Foundation partnered with Alert Citizens Foundation, United Way Mumbai, CACR, The Resilient Foundation, CYDA,VA, RING, SSP, SOPPECOM, Rotary Club of Mumbai, Vibha Foundation and many others who relentlessly worked and are still working on the ground as well as on the backend in this time of humanitarian crisis.
Jeevan Rath 3.0
The nationwide lockdown imposed in March 2020 following COVID-19 pandemic not only triggered a reverse migration bringing the businesses of informal sector to a standstill but also unleashed an unprecedented health, humanitarian crisis across the nation. This has badly hurt the country’s economy and it may take a couple of years to recover.
Although most of the migrants have reached their home states, the crisis is far from over. Lack of employment and therefore income still persists, and along with that, there are still citizens that are not able to eat on a daily basis, unmet medical needs amongst a myriad of other challenges. So now, this Jeevan Rath chariot must continue. Following are the ways through which the third phase of Jeevan Rath is being implemented.
Continued Assistance through Jeevan Rath 3.0
Food & Ration
Given the challenges with the food distribution, inequities / lack of sensitivity and accountability of the PDS, Jeevan Rath 3.0 provides imediate assistance to the needy with ration kits, which are recurring in nature.
Cash Transfers
Cash transfers will continue to be an important step in alleviating the burden that many families are under, whether due to outstanding payments for rent, electricity and maintenance or then medical expenses.
Employment
Emphasis is laid on employment as an equally important support mechanism. Jeevan Rath 3.0 is working on linking employers to potential employees based on skill mapping through Shelter Management System.
Palghar Action Group
UNICEF Maharashtra in collaboration with CTARA, IIT-B and others is currently developing an action plan in order to understand and implement the developmental work being undertaken by various NGOs in areas of food and ration distribution – to ensure adequate and nutritious food for all; water – to encourage agriculture, by ensuring enough water is available through various means; WASH – addressing sanitation and health issues that drain their resources further; employment – map skills and job opportunities for income generation and emergency needs – identify critical areas, communities, families and provide support.
MILKAR (Together)
MILKAR is an MCGM initiative in partnership with NGOs and Corporates to support vulnerable groups for rations. Each NGO would raise money on its own on the basis of a ration kit as decided by the government. For every rupee the NGO raises, it will be allocated (5 times the amount) by the Corporate donors from their corpus. The NGOs will then be given the total funds (own + matching) to serve a particular community as decided by the government.
Jeevan Rath 2.0
An overview of the work conducted and thousands of migrant lives touched through this initiative.
Jeevan Rath 3.0
An overview of the activities covered under Relief, Recovery and Amplification
INDIA Needs You !
We need to join forces to grant dignity and access to rights and resources for all marginalised and vulnerable groups.We have delivered support to over 1 Million people since 2020 under various programs. But, Today We Need YOUR Support to do more. Get in touch with us to start making a difference.
