The coronavirus has caused countless orphans in India. The staff in Usthi’s health projects are committed to helping the children whose lives have been fundamentally changed over the past two years.

The far-reaching consequences of the pandemic have almost been forgotten amidst the terrible news that reaches us daily from Ukraine. The virus itself is generally harmless for children – but the indirect impact is all the more significant.

Particularly for poor countries and especially for socio-economically disadvantaged families, the economic downturn poses many challenges. More and more households and children are being driven into poverty. As a result of financial hardship, families can no longer afford even basic health services. At the same time, child malnutrition is on the rise. A WHO study indicates that there has been a significant decrease in the number of basic vaccinations for young children since the start of the Covid 19 pandemic.

Countless children in India lost their parents through the virus, but also through minor illnesses that were not treated due to lack of financial means. Not only in the urban centres, but also in the countryside like the Somagiri project region, the health workers report many children orphaned by Covid.

Raising awareness on this issue is particularly important because of the dangers of human trafficking. Families often send the children to distant relatives in other states. They usually do not know whether they will go to school or have to work there. The team of the health projects therefore carries out targeted prevention activities to provide the families with alternatives. The close relationship to the people in the project region due to their work in the villages and day care centres allows the staff to detect cases early on and to support children at risk.

Usthi appreciates the great commitment of the staff in Somagiri. Would you also like to support the initiative?