There has been a time of social isolation which has resulted in its attendant problems like depression. It has been a terrible time dealing with death, illness and then all the other issues that emerged from a lot of people staying together in close proximity for too long. This was the odd bit, there were people who were feeling tired spending way too much time at home unable to step out. There was also a segment of society that was experiencing loneliness. Goa has a sizable number of elderly people who live alone as their children are based abroad. Many need help to access medical help for sure but there are also a lot of other jobs that need tone. Simple jobs like paying the mobile bill or buying groceries.
Goa it can be said set the template with a large number of volunteers who stepped forward to be counted. Young women like Shruti Chaturvedi helped organise a large number of young men and women to provide assistance. She said in fact they were still providing assistance to aged people. She said “We are still helping them to get their test results. We help them go to the hospital. We just helped people with oxygen concentrators. We are delivering medicines and we are however getting requests for medical assistance. People can’t afford the bills. We are also getting requests for blood. We are still distributing food worth Rs 40-50,000 every month. With regards to vaccination drives, we are still getting calls every day from all over Goa. I took 20-30 people to the centre and they continue to call.”
Vanessa Anes has a job that keeps her busy through the week. Employed by a company based in Dubai she has her weekly off on Friday. That day is dedicated to helping people who call her to pay telephone bills, buying groceries for elders, buy fruits. She said “A lot of people need to hear a hello which helps them through the day. Kids are either working abroad or are based in another part of the country. There are a lot of people like me who go over to say hello and to offer help. My mother who was a teacher helped a lot of people and I am just doing what she was doing. A lot of people helped me when I was based in Dubai and my mom was herein Goa. Many people are single and are feeble and need assistance. It is the least we can do.”
All the volunteers are helping out without expecting anything in return. Nadia D souza was part of Covid care Aldona then Lions club and now Leos a club for people between 15-30. She helped conduct awareness drives against mosquitoes and went door to door. She highlighted the importance of not letting water stagnate. As part of Covid care from March when the second wave commenced, she helped organize beds, oxygen cylinders and she continues to help out. Now she said the number of cases had dropped and now she was assisting by providing advice. She said “I have a lot of charts and I know where the medications are and I am able to provide the information. I get these calls regularly and I am more than willing to help. We are also pushing the importance of vaccinations and spreading the awareness. It is one of the most important things at this point.”
Mattson Miranda who is a student in a local college said he was still providing assistance with vaccines. He said “Most of the elderly are bedridden and can’t go to the hospitals and we have to get the doctors to their place. Some are also paralyzed. They need help for Covid tests. Nobody is ready to take them to the hospital. We help. As of now we get one or two calls a day which is drop from the times when we used to get 15-20 calls in a day during the second wave”.
Simon Peter Pereira another volunteer said he was always open to helping people who needed necessities like medicine, oxygen or had to go for a test or had to get the result. Part of a Whatsapp group, everyone has a specific role to play.
Myron Fernandes has a garage and helps out by giving cars to people who have a medical emergency. He said during the day he was busy but at night, whatever is the time, he was willing to help. Like him there are people all over the state either helping with time or providing food to those in need.
This pandemic has shown us all the devastating brutality this virus is capable of but people have shown, there is humanity in them and they are willing to go the extra mile to help their fellow human beings. Three cheers to them.
