The world hasn't been the same since March 2020. We have all been impacted insome way or the other. COVID-19 impacted not just the health and well-being of millions but caused huge loss of lives, livelihood and productive assets. The distress in the economy — wages, jobs, production, investments and consumption — was too noticeable to be dismissed.

These were testing times yet our frontline staffs like Community Field workers were ill-equipped to protect themselves and others in the local community, yet went about their work, in remote places provided training and a kit containing critical items like masks, gloves, sanitizers, liquid soap and an information booklet. Such initiatives are important in recognizing the sheet anchor role that we have to play in a pandemic situation.

From the time we witnessed lakhs of migrant workers undertake long and tortuous travel on foot after the lockdown, we swung into action to provide dry ration and PPE kit in Bhagalpur, Godda, & Mohanpur areas.

But the most crucial aspect is that we were on the field braving an unknown virus and unprecedented health emergency that turned into a humanitarian crisis. We were rendered immobile due to the lockdown yet we helped in the last mile delivery of food kits and safety kits, to reach hundreds of migrants as well as stranded communities with food and safety kits.

With the vaccines came its fair share of vaccine hesitancy. We with our grassroots presence, played and continue to play, a major role in busting the myths and misconceptions around the pandemic and vaccines, using a traditional mode of communication to impart correct and science-based information on COVID19 prevention, care and treatment.