LIFE SAVING SUPPORT FOR A NEW BORN DURING LOCK DOWN

 

During the lock down, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, each and every individual must be vigilant and careful. However, in the case of pregnant women or women who have just delivered a baby with complications, needs to be extra careful and reach out to the right authorities for the necessary precautions and care.

On 4^th May 2020, CHILDLINE Kochi, Kerala received a call from a father reporting about his 10-day old new born baby’s need for immediate medical support. The baby was born at a general hospital in Ernakulum. Due to breathing problems, the baby was put on a ventilator and referred to Lakshmi hospital. As per the medical report, the baby was suffering from breathing problems coupled with a neurological condition and bleeding in the head.  The child was suffering with hydrocephalus and was in a very critical condition.  For urgent medical intervention the child was taken from Lakshmi Hospital, Ernakulum to Kottayam Medical College (KMC), Kottayam.

The parents also requested for help in settling bills at Lakshmi Hospital, before the discharge. CHILDLINE informed the Child Welfare Committee (CWC) Chairperson. On the same day, CHILDLINE coordinated for all the necessary services and transferred the baby to KMC. In this case, CHILDLINE received unconditional support from IMA (Indian Medical Association) Kochi Chapter and NRHM (National Rural Health Mission) for providing the ambulance and medics to transfer the child to KMC.

On 5^th May 2020, CHILDLINE paid the bills at Lakshmi Hospital. Two members from the CHILDLINE team accompanied the baby, medics and paramedics to KMC. On 8^th May 2020, the father informed CHILDLINE about the gradual progress of the baby who has begun the natural process of breast feeding. The baby doesn’t require surgery, however, will need physiotherapy. The family thanked CHILDLINE for the timely intervention and support.

ONE MORE FAMILY RESCUED FROM THE BRINK OF STARVATION

In an attempt to control the spread of the Coronavirus, the Government of India has announced a complete lockdown. While this precautionary measure is helping to control the spread of this contagious virus, it has led to the rise of major crises for daily wage earners and migrant workers.

They are the worst sufferers of the side effects of the lockdown. They usually live hand-to-mouth and without their daily earnings, they can barely provide for their family. Currently, most of the daily wage earners and migrant workers are out of jobs. It has become extremely difficult for them to feed their family.

CHILDLINE 1098 received a call from a helpless father whose three children have been starving for 3 days. Hailing from Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh, Prashant Sinha (name changed to protect identity) came to Vapi, Gujarat nine years ago to work in a tailoring company. Five months ago, he brought his 3 children, Samir age 11 years, Akash age 6 years and Vikram 4 years old (names changed to protect identity) to his residence in Vapi-Valsad.

During the initial days, of the COVID -19 outbreak, the factory owner gave the father some money and necessities. But soon they ran out of resources and the money. The CHILDLINE team member working on this case coordinated with the district administration authorities to arrange for ration and food items for the family.

Within no time, the DSP of Valsad sent his team with all the ration and food items to the family. Upon receiving groceries from the police, the father immediately informed CHILDLINE and thanked for co-coordinating and arranging for food. 

In these challenging times, CHILDLINE is receiving thousands of calls from children and parents who need help to buy ration and food items. You too can join hands with CHILDLINE 1098 and help us fulfil their needs.

Leaving footprints with Vodafone

On March 18^th 

2010, at the Vodafone Corporate Office Terrace, a shamiana was ready to slot in employee-volunteers, CHILDLINE Team and children. It was mid morning, and the summer sun had set in to blaze the Mumbai City already, but still the enthusiasm and the burning-to-do-good inside people’s heart gave the sun quite a match.

The Vodafone employees were briefed about CHILDLINE and the next task as hand, i.e. the outreach and its objective, conduct & methods. Instantly the group split into three, inclusive of CHILDLINE team- members and spread out to three different locations: LP Station, J. K. Marg & Mahalaxmi Signal – to begin what they had set out to do.

They set about distributing fliers, sticking stickers and posters in small shops as they spoke to the owners, dialling in to 1098 from phone booths to make sure the numbers connected, urging people to save the number 1098 into their phones and to call whenever they saw a child in distress.

 

 

The effect was such that the whole area was buzzing with questions about 1098 and had elements of CHILDLINE pantone green all over, on walls, in people’s hands and most importantly in their minds. Some volunteer’s enthusiasm also took them to a nearby Radio: Red FM’s office and do a spontaneous awareness live on air. It also reattributed to 2-3 cases of children in distress being reported while on outreach.

The sweltering sun couldn’t do enough to kill people’s enthusiasm and its attempts just melted as beads of perspiration.

Back to base, around lunchtime, the volunteers were greeted by CHILDLINE children from Yuva, Humara and CIU shelters. Refuelled, the employees and children had an impromptu dance session which set the ball rolling for the games, in which each employee participated with a child buddy for the day.  And last but not the least, the sessions with colours, wherein they painted Mugs, bags, bookmarks, greeting cards with their buddies was one of utter concentration with mixed mirth. These items were later auctioned off within Vodafone to contribute to our cause.

Before the goodbye’s the children put up a performance of b-boy and bollywood moves amidst loud cheer and claps. And as the children set off for their shelter homes with their goodie-bags they left behind a day full of touching memories for the Vodafone Employees.