NGO Goonj Helps The Underprivileged Cope With The Pandemic, Provides Essentials To 3 Lakh Families

The NGO Goonj has helped more than 3 lakh needy people with over 47 lakh kg of ration and other essential items amid the pandemic.

New Delhi: The coronavirus pandemic has taken a toll across the world. The unprecedented situation has been especially difficult for the underprivileged who have not just struggled with securing food but also in keeping up with the hygiene requirements for combating the deadly virus. The Non-profit organisation Goonj has reached out to over 3,00,600 needy and underprivileged families with over 47 lakh kg of ration and other essential items amid the pandemic. In a bid to curb the pandemic, the organisation has also distributed over 6.25 lakh masks and over 9.47 lakh other essential items. In a statement, the organisation said that it has channelised over 3.62 lakh ready-to-eat meals "Development is when you move from zero to ten. But, when you move from minus to zero, that's not development...that's survival," said Anshu Gupta, Founder, Goonj.

 Goonj also runs a campaign to help people in winter

NGO is not only working towards helping people during the pandemic but knows how difficult life can be for the underprivileged and needy at these unprecedented times. NGO Goonj is running a campaign - Odha Do Zindagi. Through ODZ, Goonj seeks to raise the consciousness of the people and the much-needed resources to support the citizens to brave through this winter. The campaign urges urban masses to play a meaningful role in bridging the gap by contributing winter essentials. According to Goonj, the collected material becomes a part of comprehensive 'Winter Kits' which can help an entire family. These kits are not distributed as charity but are given as rewards for after the rural communities work issues that they have identified in their villages such as digging wells, building bamboo bridges, etc. So far rural communities have addressed several issues such as water shortage in Pudiyani village (Chamoli district) and building bridges in Gundale village, in Palghar, Maharashtra where monsoon wreaks havoc every year. Goonj has over 450 organisations in 26 states and union territories and is also working with many corporates, foundations, and individuals, it said.