Unsung heroes during COVID times

As the world fights an unprecedented health crisis due to the Coronavirus pandemic, its ravaging effect has taken a toll on the world economy, individuals, businesses, and the education sector. It is so widespread that it has affected all spheres of public and private life and is very likely that it will increase poverty and inequality globally. But during these times there are millions of health care workers, police officials, and others who are on the frontline, working compassionately in preventing and managing COVID-19.
Similar to the works of these frontline warriors, there are a number of unsung heroes in India and around the world who have been working dedicatedly for the society and for humanity. These unsung heroes are those who are rising above concerns for their own health and safety and are fighting to bring lives back to normal. These are our everyday warriors who are restoring humanity’s faith by coming up with novel ideas and in this article, Urban Update elaborates on the works of these unsung heroes from providing lifesaving equipments to equal educational opportunity to all the students and also got in touch with some of these heroes.

Classes through loudspeakers in Jharkhand

With 1.2 billion children out of schools due to COVID-19 pandemic, the existing learning crisis has now become even more divisive and deep, as there are disparities in access to technology and material to continue studies. According to UNICEF data, in 71 countries around the globe, less than half the population has internet access. Nearly three-quarters of governments in 127 countries are using online mediums to deliver education during this time as it has become the new normal. But this crisis has not shaken the determination of teachers in Jharkhand from educating the students.
Shyam Kishore Singh Gandhi, the principal of Upgraded Middle School in Bankathi village in Dumka district, Jharkhand found a way to teach his 246 students amidst the lockdown. Gandhi in conversation with Urban Update said that online classes as an option was not successful as out of those 246 students, only 42 had the facility of smartphones at their homes and none of them was able to open the links given as
study material.
After discussing the situation with all the seven school teachers, they came up with an innovative idea of installing loudspeakers on trees and walls across the village so that students can access the content and attend the classes from different locations.
These classes have been successfully going on since April 22nd and students are taught on a daily basis for 2 hours. The classes begin at 10 am with a song to spread awareness about the novel coronavirus and then the teachers teach the students over a microphone about various subjects while students make notes from wherever they are attending the class. The students attend classes sitting apart from each other, maintaining social distancing.
On a question of how the doubts and queries of students are addressed, Gandhi said that he along with other school teachers do constant monitoring of the students so that they can side by side clear their doubts and also queries can be sent over the mobile phone which are addressed in the class next day. He added that the initiative was supported and appreciated by all the villagers. Five girls and a boy along with women and elders also came forward to join the initiative and help in the smooth functioning of the classes.
While talking about the effectiveness of these innovative classes, he said that the students are taking interest in the classes and are benefitted from these classes as there are face to face interactions with the students and also the syllabus is being covered at a good pace. He added that they have also conducted an exam of the students to assess their learning from these offline classes and found that 85 per cent of them achieved a good score pointing towards the success of this initiative.
Gandhi said that the initiative has taken a shape of Jan Abhiyan and got huge support and appreciation from the State Government, NITI Aayog, and District Commissioner. He added that District Commissioner wrote to the District Education Officer to make sure that the teachers and principals of other schools in the district follow the Bankathi Village Model and resume the classes of the students keeping all safety and precautionary measures from coronavirus in mind.

Birthday celebration with COVID-19 patients

People around the world celebrate their birthdays in their own different ways. During these times, Iqbal Singh Bhatti, president of Urre-Dawn, a French NGO, celebrated his 65th birthday with two hospitalized COVID patients on the spot. Bhatti while talking to Urban Update said that he has been working tirelessly since the very first day of the lockdown and had posted on his social media that if any Indian in Paris has symptoms of coronavirus, they may contact him immediately. He said that since March 24, he has helped 39 Indian boys from different cities who had COVID-19 symptoms by taking them to their nearest hospital for checkup, testing with complete safety and precautionary measures and attended to all their needs
and comforts.
Bhatti added that on June 18, he celebrated his 65th birthday with two of those admitted patients who were in a coma for three months and on a ventilator fighting for their lives ever since they got admitted but are now on the road to recovery. When asked about financial support, he said that “I do have an association but since the corona outbreak I have been doing everything on my own as the other members didn’t come out of their houses because of fear. I am less concerned about the finances as I am doing all these only for humanity”.
Bhatti mentioned that he has been helping people from the Indian community in Paris who were either handicapped or had no one to look after them by taking them to the hospitals, doing last rites, cremation prayers and has sent 172 dead bodies to India since 2003. And has also been bringing back ashes of the deceased to their
families in India.