COV-aid- Malighat School and Children’s Home

In 2007, I had the privilege of spending a couple of months in India where I stayed at a local school and children’s home in Malighat, in the state of Bihar. Bihar is the second poorest state in India and when I visited, extreme poverty was visible everywhere I looked. 

Jyoti is my friend and the principal of the school and she cares for the 18 residents of the children’s home. She has dedicated her life to supporting children from her local community to access an education and cares for the children in the home around the clock, year in, year out. 

If you have seen the news lately, you will know that India has not fared well during the COVID-19 pandemic. Poverty makes people even more vulnerable. Population is so dense that social distancing is a struggle. Many have no home to self isolate in. Health and nutrition status is poor at the best of times. The list goes on. Jyoti has needed to close the school and is struggling to feed the children she has in her care. They need health care, and they simply can’t afford it. All funds raised will go directly to Jyoti for food, medical bills and eventually, vaccinations.

We have been so fortunate here in Tasmania throughout this pandemic. Reflecting on this, I felt I wanted to use my privileged position, living here in the relative safety of our island home, to do something to help those who are living in fear and extreme poverty as a result of the pandemic.