Bidyanondo Foundation, one of the country’s leading volunteer organizations, has set a goal to provide food assistance to at least 200,000 families of Bangladesh’s rural population, to fight the coronavirus crisis.
Since the country’s first detected coronavirus case on March 8, the organization has been helping people in need with a range of aid support.
Photo Collected from Bidyanondo Facebook page
From April 12 till May 3, Bidyanondo provided food aid to 1,058,000 families across the country with the support of 73 non-government volunteer organizations and the Armed Forces.
Bidyanondo Dhaka Branch chief Salman Khan shared the information in talking to Dhaka Tribune on Thursday.
He said: “Bidyanondo has so far spent around Tk9 crore to help the people of our country in every possible way in its response to the Covid-19 crisis. We have distributed hand sanitizers, face masks, and personal protective equipment (PPEs) to fight Covid-19.
“We received almost Tk6 crore in donations, and Tk3 crore worth of supplies from various organizations and individuals. Many others have also helped by giving us the use of their factories and warehouses, and providing us logistic support. These things cannot be measured.”
The foundation’s audit team told this correspondent they are preparing a report which will provide a transparent account of all expenditures and donations in this project.
Photo Collected from Bidyanondo Facebook page
Salman said: “We work during any disaster based on the needs of that time. When Covid-19 spread from China to Europe, we started preparing. We set up 20 portable and two permanent hand washing stations across Bangladesh so that people could maintain good hygiene.
“We provided at least 8,000 face masks – produced in our own garment factory where many underprivileged women work – to the poor, orphans, and school students in Dhaka and Chittagong.”
“We also sprayed disinfectant on roads and public places like bus and stations, markets, foot overbridges to ensure the deadly virus did not spread further.
“We handed over 5,000 PPEs to upazila and government hospitals,” he added.
He said: “We have been delivering a One Taka Meal, or Ek Takay Ahar, to 2,000 people every day with the help of the police. Our volunteers haven’t been home in the last 50 days. They have been working tirelessly. The men are now living in our Mirpur office and the women volunteers are in the Basanti Hostel.
Photo Collected from Bidyanondo Facebook page
“Our target is to provide food assistance to at least 200,000 families across the country. Actually, our ability depends on donations. But our one taka meal will be continuing while the covid-19 situation continues, Salman said.
Meanwhile, the foundation has also been feeding street animals as the government imposed shutdown was again extended.
Contacted, Kishor Kumar Das, founder of Bidyanondo Foundation, said: “Our volunteers work with the purest of intentions. Now we want to deliver food to at least 300,000 families. I also want to take part in rehabilitation when the Covid-19 situation ends.”
