Jabs and more - My take from the vaccination camp

 

I gobbled up my last bite of dosa.

I was extremely nervous.

My anxiety was very evident on my face.

 As I took a deep breath to calm myself down, a few questions crossed my mind – will we all be safe, what if I contract the virus, will there be takers for the vaccine, will other NGOs working for covid relief rope in our takers, do we have enough kits for everyone, etc.

The vaccination drive at Jigani kitchen was a 20-day event. And this was just day one.

I rushed to the location and reached at 8 in the morning on 10^th January 2022. This was the first time I was attending the vaccination drive at The Akshaya Patra Foundation’s Jigani kitchen. As I parked my bike, I was surprised to see that people had already started lining up to get their jabs. As I helped my colleagues put up banners and posters, I saw many more people joining the queue. I was impressed with how many people had turned up. I thought to myself,

So many people need the vaccinations but are unable to pay and get inoculated.

Suddenly there was a sense of pride in me for being associated with Akshaya Patra. It is not too long since I joined this organisation, but there is a sense of satisfaction that I am working with an organisation that helps people in need. Many organisations help in different ways but this one was different. Akshaya Patra was one organisation that did its best to support poor people; it helped the COVID 19 donation from donors reach the people in need.

As I put up the last set of posters on the road turning, an old man stopped by and asked me in Kannada, “Yen poster idu?” (what poster is this). I informed him that there was a COVID vaccination drive where he would get free ration and other essentials free of cost.

The conversation then continued.

Old man: Yaaru maadtha irodu? (who is organising this camp?)

Me: Akshaya Patra. Kelidira? (Heard of it?)

Old man: Illa. Yaaru avru? (Who is it?)

Me: Adu ondu sansthe. (It is an organisation).

Old man: COVID alli ee thara thumba sansthegalu nodidini. (I have seen many NGOs working for COVID relief)

Me: Idu aa thara sansthe alla.

He was all ears. So, I continued to tell him why this organisation is different.

(The essence of what I spoke in Kannada is translated below)

Akshaya Patra feeds 1.8 million underprivileged children with mid-day meals every day since 2000. It provides nutritious meals to support the health, education and nutrition of children coming from challenging socio-economic backgrounds. During the pandemic, this NGO in India has also started feeding the population in need. It has served a cumulative of 20-crore meals with the help of COVID 19 donations to carpenters, labourers, ambulance drivers, gravediggers, old people, orphans, blind people, etc.

It looked like I had gained the trust of the old man. He said he will get his family in a while for the vaccination. A sense of satisfaction for helping someone in need rose in my heart. I quickly walked back to the camp. It was almost 11 am. People were swarming outside the entrance.

I spoke to the first few people lined up outside the kitchen. A few of them had heard about the vaccination camp and had lined up in the night, I was shocked to hear their story.

Some of these beneficiaries had been waiting since 2.30 in the night. They had carried their blankets along with them to help them stay warm through the night.

The security had started checking temperatures and providing sanitisers to all the entrants. As soon as these checks were done, they would be guided to the waiting area after which they would move to the section where their documents would be verified and the date of their last vaccination would be confirmed. These people would be directed to a room where they would receive the jab.

The best thing about Akshaya Patra is that nobody is allowed to leave immediately after the vaccination. Each person will be asked to wait for 10 minutes, receive medical attention if needed, handed over a cooked meal packed in a container, gets a refreshment drink and then receives a kit called the Raksha Kit. Only after they receive these items will they be able to leave.

As I was helping an old woman enter the premises, a woman aged around 50, walked in seeking help. Her 82-year-old mother was partially blind and could hardly walk. She requested to me if she could get the jab that day. I verified the documents she carried and checked with my team members if we could help them.

The Akshaya Patra Team accompanied the 50-year-old woman to vaccinate her and her 82-year-old partially blind mother at their house.

After their vaccination, we handed over their share of refreshment, packed meal and the Raksha Kit that would help them cook 21 servings of meals. Happiness reverberated in their house that day.

Though today was a hectic day, there was a sense of satisfaction that filled my heart; so many people were vaccinated and benefitted by this NGO in India that I am a part of. Many such vaccination camps will be organised in the next few months in Delhi, Bengaluru, etc. If you like to make a COVID 19 donation, consider donating to Akshaya Patra as it is an NGO registered under Section 12A (a) of the Income Tax Act, 1961.

With your donations to Akshaya Patra’s Raksha Kits, you help a low-income person get jabbed while you gain 50% tax exemption on your contribution INR 1500. Don’t think I am saying this because I am an Akshaya Patra employee, but as a concerned citizen. Support this organisation so that people in need are benefitted and we can make India a COVID-free nation soon.