The Best Time To Make A Difference
India’s first lockdown measures were lifted last year by may end. After the unlock, I visited a roadside tea shop where I usually stop by before covid times. I talked to the Anna who makes tea there, to know how things were. He said about his hardship in those two months. He could neither find any income replacement alternative nor dip into his limited savings. Not to boast about, post lockdown relaxation last year, I have been helping him with timely cash transfers.
The lockdown has led to an economic downturn, and as a result, many informal workers are at the risk of facing extreme poverty. If we wish to make a difference by helping the underprivileged, there is no better time to do it than now, with the second lockdown in place.
The plight of informal economy workers:
Unfortunately, while we have people succumbing to the virus, we have many gig-workers, small-scale self-employed, and other informal economy workers like drivers, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, artisans, painters, musicians, farmers who are non-covid casualties as well. They are unable to work and feed their families now with the containment and clamp-down measures in place. They don’t have any income replacement sources and can’t dip into savings as they may not have much financial cushion. The repercussions of this pandemic call for effective measures to extend financial support to informal economy workers.
In a country like India, where more than half of the workforce is of the informal/unorganised sector, it will be a daunting task for the government to help the needy with succour. India is not affluent either. The unorganised sector workers are those that are neither taxed nor regulated. Although they do notable work, they are not officially registered, thereby making it difficult for the government to identify and reach them during these unprecedented times. While it is hard for the government to identify them, it is feasible for us to help them directly. People with means like us can help our maid, plumber, electrician, driver, painter, carpenter, etc.
Fundraising is for medical necessities like ventilator requirements and oxygen beds, but the plight of informal workers remains unaddressed. They don’t crib about the situation yet. They keep their dignity intact even in these trying times and are hesitant to ask for any monetary help. But as per Khalil Gibran’s quote, “It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; And to the open-handed, the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving.”
Ways to help the informal economy workers:
-> SOCIAL CIRCLES : We can form many social circles of three to four members, raise funds and make timely cash transfers. Direct cash transfer is the best resort to meet the social distancing protocols.
-> COMPASSION STORIES: We shall share stories of compassion and generosity so that others will get to know and help with their part. There is inherent goodness in everyone, it is just to intimate them about an option to help. This way, we can make the donations contagious.
-> PAY IN ADVANCE: We shall provide advance cash and get the service done later. For instance, we can pay twice to Salon assistants and get the hairdo done later once the lockdown is relaxed. This way, they will have cash flow now. We can pay in advance to a painter for having a painting activity done later and pay in advance to a driver for having him drive for a trip we have planned post lockdown, etc.
-> DONATE TIME : Not everyone is money rich, but we are time rich. We can help by donating time and help with activities that involve technology as they may not have technology access. Help with covid essentials. Suggest steam inhalation and breathing exercises. Suggest consulting the doctor before vaccination. Assist in registering for vaccination, helping with RTPCR tests if needed, buying pulse oximeters, and checking saturation levels.
-> IN-KIND DONATIONS : We can assist by providing new/used/refurbished smartphones to their children to do homeschooling.
-> GATHER INFORMATION: It would be prudent to set up smaller Telegram/WhatsApp groups of doers from friends and help them keep all the information ready for an emergency. Let information poverty not be a reason for any adversity.
-> REFER THEM : We can refer them to our friends who can employ them for the short term or long term.
-> CREATE WHATSAPP POSTERS: Create WhatsApp posters with details on their activities and their contact number, as it may help them to share it across to people they know.
We have formed a social circle and have been helping few unorganized sector workers regularly in these trying times. It helps cope with the depression/rumination with all things happening around us. Until the hardest day passes and normalcy returns, let us help them as it may take months for them to heal from the economic woes caused by the lockdown.