Change Makers in the community.

[Saswata]

It is here worthwhile to share my experience as a social worker, who works with the community. 

COVID RESPONSE...it was once a CHOICE...of course a choice to become invulnerable...

 After seeing consecutive occurrence of disasters...surviving it...living it, in the beginning phase...I may just tried to deny this.

 Who has expected a health hazard like COVID-19 could arrive us so early even when the fury of Cyclone Fani (in 2019) still alive in the coastal settlements of Odisha, India.

 With the growth of tourism sector and other infrastructural and developmental process the District once started becoming one of the most comfortable places to live.

Once we are so happy to have our city as a visiting hotspot imbedded with both natural beauties and rich socio-cultural values...peace... and local communities with varied sources income. The living standard has never so demanding for our people. Most of us are happy with abundant locally products. No worries kind of lifestyle...

Coastal rural villages with plenty of coconut trees and other cash crops like Kaju nuts. In one hand Cyclone Fani in 2019 brought 90% up-rooting of these income sources including heavy loss in agricultural production, income of betel vines and reduced catching of fish from the wetlands and sea. 

 I tried to stay aloof from the impact of this pandemic. Hope it could end up as global phenomena. Aspire that it would only measured as an outbreak of a mere health hazard. Later while responding the affected communities...I could realise that it has all the potency that is compared with the occurrence of any disaster with high intensity...of course building situations worst in a slow onset.

 We could found our communities struggling with so much uncertainty.   I could feel it as a call to get involved in it...continue working on it to find out a strategy...that could break the unpredictability of its impact on the lives, livelihoods and...the increased menace of all round of poverty. Along with this we could visualise a World where families live with helplessness, fear and ‘social distance’ maintaining as a methodology to survival and remain safe even in our own families and communities.

We need to prioritise along with the community...to develop medium and long term coping mechanism as well as prevention strategies to face future challenges...

 In such a process, we found people in the community who could lead. These are the people with very common background, who are also struggling with the COVID-19 menace as we all are doing. But all that make the change makers is the way they look it... Community mobilisation is never possible...unless we identify these people. By talking with them and working together we can found out local solutions to this global issue.