COVID fundraisers by SNS create a social impact
The past two years have been like a hurricane of challenges. The pandemic, an unseen and unknown enemy, created health hazards and economic predicaments for a large section of the population. Due to complete lockdown, thousands of daily wage workers lost livelihood. They were looking at a future with resources to support their family. With most organizations closing physical workspaces, contractual staff was in an abyss.
To support such sections, the community of teachers and students at Shiv Nadar School initiated several campaigns through online and offline platforms. At the Gurgaon campus, myriad stakeholders came together to gather funds and benefit maximum people. The staff made voluntary contributions for providing food and medicines to the support staff. Approximately 140 kits containing rations and medicines were distributed to the support staff every month.
The IBDP cohort also undertook a number of online and offline crowdfunding campaigns in multiple phases to raise a total amount of over INR 8,50,000. The funds went towards helping migrant labours, farmers, daily wage workers, mid-day meals at schools, and contributing to the Give India foundation. Students organised Bake-sale initiatives, Online Concerts, and Food Aid projects in collaboration with an NGO.
Going beyond the necessities, the team addressed the issue of disruption in the education of students who could not access virtual learning. The student council and parents jointly launched the mission ‘Reach one, Teach one’ to provide learning tools to the children of the support staff. The campaign witnessed the distribution of 45 brand-new laptops to the support staff.
The second wave of COVID brought a tsunami of loss, pain, and grief for innumerable people. The lack of medical facilities was disclosed as families of patients struggled to gain access to hospital beds, medicine, and oxygen. The situation called for immediate action in the right direction. The school leadership formed an Emergency Response Team to address the need for concerted efforts for helping the community of parents, students, and teachers. It spurred action that reached affected families at the shortest notice. In a bid to save lives, the ERT ensured that oxygen, hospital beds, and medicines were promptly available to all the patients.
However, despite all efforts, the merciless COVID took away some members of our larger community. Some students lost one or, in a worse situation, both parents. The school also lost some of its valued teachers. Though the personal loss was irreplaceable, the organization tried to bring some relief by providing financial support to the affected families. Reflecting responsible citizenship and empathy, the leaders, faculty, and parents at Shiv Nadar School took steps to ease the stress faced by the grieving families.
At the NOIDA campus, a core group of six members was formed to work closely with the Parent Partnership Office to collect funds. The team met all stakeholders to gauge the extent of the impact and identify the people who would receive the funds. Funds flowed in from the parent community and people outside it. The core group partnered with the Prithviraj Charitable Trust and made sure that the interests of the beneficiaries are protected.
The campaign successfully raised a total of INR 19,20, 311 from 168 contributors, and an equal amount was added to the fund by the Trustee of Shiv Nadar School. An additional contribution of INR 6322/- was made towards the fund by each core member, taking the total amount collected to INR 39,00,000. The beneficiaries identified by the Core team received this amount equally. Ms. Shashi Banerjee, Director of Education, and Ms. Pooja Malhotra, Head- Parent Partnership office, visited the families to hand over the cheques. It was an overwhelming experience for the Core Team and the beneficiaries.
Mother Teresa said, “It’s only a drop in the ocean, but the ocean wouldn’t be the same without that drop”. The small efforts by students, teachers, and parents collectively made a big difference to the beneficiaries. These steps reinstate our Core Value that aims at making every student an ethical and purposeful citizen of society.
Mar 4, 2022 by Shiv Nadar School