Twitter has donated USD 15 million to help with the Covid-19 pandemic in India, which is facing a second outbreak of the deadly virus. The money was donated to three non-governmental organisations Care, Aid India, and Sewa International USA, according to Twitter CEO Jack Patrick Dorsey. Aid India and Sewa International USA each received USD 2.5 million, while CARE received USD 10 million.
Sewa International is a non-profit humanitarian support organisation founded by Hindus. This grant will be used to buy lifesaving devices such as oxygen as part of Sewa International’s “Help India Defeat Covid-19” initiative concentrators, ventilators, BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) devices. Government clinics and Covid-19 treatment centres and hospitals will receive equipment.
Sandeep Khadkekar, Sewa International’s vice president for Marketing and Fund Growth, reacted positively to the news, thanking Dorsey for his generous donation and expressing gratitude that Sewa’s work has been recognised.
“We are a volunteer-driven non-profit organisation dedicated to serving all, in accordance with the sacred Hindu blessing, ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah Serve all, May you all be happy”, said Sandeep Khadkekar, Sewa International vice president of marketing and fund growth. . “Additionally, our operating costs are about 5 percent, which means that for every dollar donated, we spend 95 percents on the work for which it was intended. We’ve seen how strained India’s healthcare system is in the last two weeks, and we want to do whatever we can to help those who are most affected. Twitter’s kindness would go a long way toward assisting us in doing the job we want and need to do”, added Khadkekar.
Sewa USA, based in Houston, has now raised USD 17.5 million for its India Covid-19 relief efforts. CARE is a leading humanitarian organisation dedicated to alleviating poverty around the world. The ten-million-dollar grant will fund CARE’s urgent response to the deadly second wave of Covid-19 infections ravaging India, according to Twitter. The funds will be used to complement government efforts by establishing temporary Covid-19 care centres, providing oxygen, PPE kits, and other essential emergency supplies for frontline health workers, and overcoming vaccine apprehension and ensuring that people are vaccinated, particularly in India’s remote and marginalised communities.
The Association for India’s Development (AID) is a volunteer organisation dedicated to fostering long-term, fair, and just development in India. According to Twitter, AID collaborates with grassroots organisations in India on interconnected issues such as education, health, agriculture, livelihoods, the environment, and human rights.
“This grant would help underserved populations recognise COVID signs, avoid the spread of the disease, obtain access to care and treatment, and benefit from medical supplies including oxygen, oximeters, thermometers, and safety clothing and vaccination, surviving lockdowns, regaining livelihoods, and strengthening hospitals and NGOs that serve rural and low-income communities,” Twitter added.
The unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus has devastated India, and hospitals in many states are suffering from a lack of medical personnel, vaccines, oxygen, medications, and beds. India saw a single-day surge after four days of over four lakh new reports of 3,66,161 Covid-19 cases on Monday, bringing the total to 2,26,62,575, according to the health ministry. According to the ministry’s numbers, the death toll from the viral disease has risen to 2,46,116, with 3,754 more people succumbing to it.
