Corona “Positivity Times” Vol-31

“Corona” means Time to demonstrate

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• Caring Elders

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• Optimism

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• Renewal of self

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• Obedience to calls from Government

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• Nurturing new Habits

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• Adaptability

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Coronavirus toh pata nahi, lekin bhook se zarur mar jaatein ( I do not know about coronavirus, but we would have surely died of hunger),” says Fatima (name changed) from Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district.

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Her husband had already shut his tailoring business over zero influx of customers after the lockdown had been announced and the family of six including four daughters rationed a kg of rice for the first two weeks.

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Starvation began when they ran out of food and savings, and continued for nearly five days until help arrived in the form of a donation of Rs 2,500.

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“With the donated money I got a new LPG cylinder, food and milk. My daughters fell ill due to starvation so I had to spend some money on medicines as well. I have Rs 400 left now that will be sufficient for a few days,” she informs.

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Like Fatima, millions of lives have been disrupted because of the nationwide lockdown. But these times also witness to the triumph of humanity over adversity. For every prayer of help sent up, a helping hand has come forward to alleviate misery.

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This has been proved by a group of 12 acquaintances from Delhi who have started a COVID-19 relief initiative called ‘India Care Collective’ to help individuals and families suffering due to the clampdown like Fatima.nThey have established a fundraising model where donors are directly connected to the beneficiaries whom they transfer their donations digitally.

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“We didn’t want to be mute spectators sitting at our home in comfort while others suffered. So, we established a sustainable model of donation that would last till the lockdown. More importantly, we want people to get a first-hand account of those in need. As volunteers, we inform every donor about the plight of the beneficiary to maintain absolute transparency,” Chitra Iyer, a social activist and one of the core members of the team tells TBI.

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Since its inception on 27 March, the citizen-led group has raised Rs 33 lakhs and helped over a thousand poverty-stricken families across India.

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All a beneficiary has to do is fill a Google form online (available in Hindi and English) about their needs, family members and contact details. In case the person cannot fill the form, a team member fills it on his/her behalf. Filling the form is a mandatory requirement as it maintains all data and if the lockdown is extended, volunteers can connect them with donors in future.

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Then, a volunteer calls the beneficiary in need to verify the details, “Calling is the only way to verify if the person is genuine. We have to trust them and our instinct,” says Abhishek Gupta, a core member. The volunteer then forwards the beneficiary details to the donor and sometimes even connects them over ancall. The donor then directly transfers money to the beneficiary via bank or a digital medium.

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If the family has no means of digital payment, then the volunteer tries to look for a local donor who can do a cash transaction. Fortunately, most of the recipients have accepted digital payments. Once the beneficiary receives the amount, she/he clicks a picture of the transaction and sends it to the donor and volunteer.nLaunching the Initiative

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When the group of people from different professional backgrounds started out, little did they know that the movement would escalate so quickly, “We circulated Google forms for beneficiaries and donors in our respective social circles and within ten days, the number of beneficiaries touched 1,000,” says Iyer. As coordinating with every beneficiary became too hectic, the group sent out a volunteering form on their respective social media pages.

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The team has received positive feedback from donors as well, “The fact that they are able to help while sitting at home gives them immense satisfaction and happiness. Their constant feedback keeps all our volunteers motivated.” The team completed its first phase and has now started the second phase to include more donors and recipients.

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The Core Team Members: Abhishek Gupta, Chitra Iyer, Himanshu Sharma, Rajen Makhijani, Rashi Soman, Maryam Hasan, Faheem Mirza, Supriya Panchangam, Asmita Mahajan, Mansha Vij, Sarika Gupta and Sundeep Tibrewal.

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Advice :

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1. Test Trace and Treat

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2. Observe Hygiene and Continue Handwashing

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3. Be in Home

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4. Wear the mask, if going out

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5. Maintain social distancing

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6. Download “Arogya Setu App”

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nnSelf- Betterment – “ 7 Habits”nnObjective: It is a transformational therapy which will form our behaviour in the short term and manifest as a national character in the long term. It consists of 7 habits that are required to be developed for stronger Self and sustainable environment.nn“Be the Change you want to see” – Mahatma Gandhi.nWe have developed 7 habits for Self-development, which are as under:nFor Self:n

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1. Self-belief and dare to dream

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2. Focus on your Goal

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3. Be intrinsically motivated

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4. Understand the value of time

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5. Persevere in the face of adversities

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6. Foster Positive Approach in all aspects of life

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7. Never stop learning

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SEVEN HABITS FOR SELF

nHabit 6: Foster Positive Approach in all aspects of lifenPlus Approach is the combination of Attitude, Behavior, Reaction, Reflection .direction etc. on the subject matter, which one displays in case of any situation. It is a way of dealing with a situation or problem. When we meet a person and explain our position on some subject, his first reaction is “NO”. His mental disposition at that time is why to get involved himself unnecessary. His mind repels the thought to help him. Here it is his attitude and reaction to the cause.nnAttitude forms the Approach. Attitude is the foundation of the personality. It is the microelement whereas Approach is macro part of it. The Approach is a reflection of the total personality. The Approach is the crucial aspect for anyone in dealing with a situation. It is a reflection of education, experience and attitude of the concerned person.nnPlus Approach is the reflection of reaction to a situation by an individual, which is on account of the following :n

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1. Positive quotient

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2. Education

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3. Experience

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4. Emotional quotient

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5. Compassion

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6. Zone of forgiveness

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7. Patience

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8. Holistic view

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nIntuitionnThe Approach is primarily a function of circumstances. It is a step forward on dealing with any situation, which emanates from the attitude, education, experience, mental status and upbringing.n

Big Message: Develop the habit of Positive Approach to deal with different circumstances in life and be successful.

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nnToday’s Quoten

The biggest Corona Loss, Touch Therapy gone for a Toss.

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nnGratitude: nnWe, on behalf of all, pay our Gratitude to all Corona Warriors.nn

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We Shall Overcome One day: Hum Honge Kamyab Ek Din.

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An Effort of “Plus Approach Foundation” 

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Join The Foundation as Positive Ambassador

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