ENTRIES SPOTLIGHT (ASIA)
MALAYSIA
Eddi Sone Joikol leads his group walking on foot through Sabah's heavily forested and hilly terrains for hours. They trekked hard to distribute the food as far as possible. These aid workers did so even with heavy loads of rice, cooking oil, sugar, salt and wheat flour on their backs as vehicles could not reach the villages. They used a traditional basket called ‘wakid’ made of bamboo, rattan bark and wood which is significant in Kadazandusun culture.
What made it even more challenging is that the villagers’ houses are often built far apart from each other high up on the hills, and recent rainfall over Sabah’s west coast districts the last two days have made the journey on foot more slippery and dangerous.
Photo Credit: Irwan Majid
MACAU, CHINA
Mother Louis Mary Sesu Ratnam leads a visit to the Caritas Santa Maria Home, which is a home is exclusively for older women.
After accepting to be photographed in the chapel of the home, Louis Mary spoke about what has been done to help here, in the time of the Covid-19 pandemic. "Caregivers are essential, especially at these times".
"If not the caregivers, these true healers, these old people would still be very helpless. Here we do what we can, but we always do it with care and seriousness", she explained.
Caregivers’ work often goes unnoticed, but in fact they are essential to improving the living conditions and quality of life of senior citizens. During the pandemic, it has become clear that senior citizens in nursing homes are one of the most vulnerable groups, in need of support of all kinds. It is the tireless work of caregivers like Louis Mary that enables vulnerable members of society to live without fear of infection.
Photo Credit: Gonçalo Lobo Pinheiro
INDIA
A team of young doctors formed "Doctors on Call" to provide medical services to those who are unable to access medical advice due to lockdown. Dr. Atif Nasim and Dr. Aman provide medical consultations over the phone, while Dr. Azhan delivers medical advice over Whatsapp. Last but not least, Abdul Hannan promotes the initiative over social media.
Collectively, they are known as the “team of super A's”, and they are thankful that they are able to support society in these unprecedented times, providing advice around the clock.
Photo Credit: Javed Sultan
NEPAL
36-year-old Dilip Moktan, a pharmacist who runs Moktan Pharmacy in Sinamangal, Kathmandu, has been delivering medicine across the city on his motorbike to those in dire need. Dilip doesn’t charge extra for his delivery service; instead, he offers a discount for his medicine, as he believes the situation demands helping the people most in need – his own earnings are of secondary importance.
Dilip says, “The best part of my job is the inner satisfaction I get while serving every customer. There was an old woman seeing me deliver her medicine and she had tears in her eyes. She was really thankful. I came back with a happy heart.”
Photo credit: Nishant Singh Gurung
SRI LANKA
In Rathgama, south of Sri Lanka, 63-year old Dayasiri Yaddehi and his family make bread at the back of his humble house before delivering it to the people of the village.
During the extended periods of lockdown and curfew, police gave Dayasiri special clearance as his services were essential to provide bread and pastries to all those unable to leave their homes.
Each day he would rise at 4.00am to make bread and delivers them in his colourful converted tuk-tuk. The loud speaker would play Beethoven’s 'Für Elise to inform residents that he is on his way.
Dayasiri said that “although it was exhausting he felt proud to be there for the people in his home village when they really needed him”. He also said “people are normally happy when I come, but this time they were really happy”.
Photo credit: Brett Davies
HONG KONG
As the coronavirus pandemic worsens, thousands of Hong Kong residents who live in cramped coffin homes or homeless situations are struggling to adjust to their new reality.
While coronavirus cases in Hong Kong cross the 3,000 marks, workers of Impact HK, a local organization that assists homeless people, have told that the numbers of people on the streets increased by hundreds in the past month.
Peter (yellow shirt), 37-year-old, and Alec Chu (Red mohawk), 61-year-old are formerly homeless. They are also workers at Impact HK as part of healing and rehabilitating programs with a holistic approach that includes counseling, nutrition, employment, and housing.
Now, together with Alec and other workers and volunteers, he tours the streets of different areas of Kowloon and Hong Kong Island to assist the homeless. The group also organizes the donation of three meals per day for hundreds of people and collaborate on educational projects.
Photo Credit : Ivan Abreu / impacthk.org