First of all, I wish you are all cooped up in safety and positive spirits in whatever corner of the world you are in. I also hope either alone or with your loved ones, you are reflecting on the current situation and maybe taking stock of your own lives and resting if possible. Such undisturbed and guilt-free time is rare to come by.
This is an unusual newsletter, we will not update you on what's going on with pink maharani or ask you buy our products online to save/sustain a small local business like ours (which we are). I believe below is a far greater message of hope and solidarity towards a country, where 80% of our artisanal work originated plus where I was born.
I am born in a country where social distancing is a true luxury - India. Ever since the CoVid19 lockdown was announced on the 25th March in India with a 4 hours notice, all throughout my beloved India, millions of people, esp. wage workers, day labourers, rickshaw drivers, mostly migrants from rural areas living in big cities like Delhi and Bangalore have been left in the dark. Nowhere to go, nothing to eat and no shoulder to lean on. The government has indeed promised cash transfers and rations for the needy, but as you read in this article from Aljazeera, its not all that simple. Many wonder if help would come in time for those running out of time. I, like many, since the lockdown are concerned that the virus might not be the greatest threat to India than starvation itself. Its no secret that about one quarter of the 1.3 billion live in poverty. Thus the sudden disruption and stop, with the best intentions in mind, might have a bigger disaster looming.
In simple words, millions stranded, ignored and forgotten to contain something that might unleash a more dangerous kind of pandemic, that of starvation and hopelessness in “incredible India”.
Please accept my personal and urgent appeal and support this crowdfunding campaign, where a mere 20€ from you, can help one family in the slums of Bangalore and Delhi sustain with basic rations (rice, lentils, oil …) for about 21-days.
If we don’t stand up for solidarity, each other and our oneness NOW - then when?
In deep gratefulness,
Narmada
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