SEWA and SAWPNA collaborate to work together amid pandemic

An Indian-American nonprofit organisation has collaborated with a group of women physicians to work together amid COVID-19 pandemic. They will assist the people in distress in the US.

The two nonprofit organizations, SEWA International and South Asian Women Physicians of North America (SAWPNA) will collaborate. They will work together in the battle with coronavirus. They will provide help as much as they can. And will try to deal with the challenges imposed by a coronavirus pandemic.

The two organisations said in a joint statement, “Given the nature of this pandemic, and the deep stresses and strains that individuals, communities, cities and states are struggling with, we believe that it is essential, indeed imperative, that we work together to stem the tide of this pandemic, help those who are afflicted to find medical care, and support those who are in some kind of financial or personal distress.” 

Funds collected

Funds raised by SEWA International is USD 500,000 and soon will raise USD 3.5 million, this will help them to do the work they are collaborating for.

The 1,000 plus volunteers in the past six weeks have set up eight helplines. The helplines will offer information and resources about travel, health, visas and visa status; delivery of masks to first-responders and those on the frontlines, and delivering food, groceries, and medicines to those who need them.

Assisting with other helps also

They are also helping seniors with medical advice and delivering groceries, meals etc, Connecting international students to doctors and also with foreign consulates for helping them with visa and travel updates. They have assisting stranded students with accommodation needs and food and providing consultation with doctors and lawyers to those who need them.

Members of SEWA are raising funds to buy essential Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to help those in distress. They are manufacturing the masks and delivering also.

Work done by SAWPNA

SAWPNA is a unique group. It brings South Asian women physicians and women physician-scientists together. And will provide key information about the coronavirus. They will arrange the medical response to deal with the virus. They will arrange the advance researches for COVID-19 positive patients such as the convalescent blood plasma therapy.

Sewa4Community in New-Jersey

Sewa4Community in New-Jersey made a collective effort. More than 40 organisations, has raised over USD 30,000 in donations for various COVID-19 relief related efforts.

 Till now, it has donated USD 23,000 to several food pantries and soup kitchens in New Jersey. This includes Elijah’s Kitchen, North Brunswick High School, food pantries in Monroe, Hightstown, Plainsboro, Parsippany, Bordentown, Morristown townships and MCFOODS, it said in a statement.

Manufacturing the Medical needs

Some 150 volunteers from the tri-state area made masks, manufacturing N95 masks and other PPE and connect with great difficulties for the medical need.

So far 6,500 masks and 85,000 gloves are manufactured and have been donated to various hospitals including Lantern Medical Center, Holy Name Medical Center, Jersey Shore Medical Center, Centre State Hospital, UMDNJ, RWJ, and JFK Medical Center, it said.

“We need to support the food pantries and medical centres who serve our communities. Enabling them to have the necessary resources to meet the rising demand.” said Rajesh Sharma, Central Jersey Coordinator for SEWA International, one of the organisations whose volunteers are involved in the manufacturing of the mask.

SEWA Atlanta has raised 15,000 for the relief efforts of COVID-19.

Indian American artists in New Jersey held a “Concert for Hope” over this weekend. To cheer up the healthcare workers.