COVID - 19 Response

Prior to the lockdown due to COVID – 19, 30-year-old Kiran was barely able to manage her life.

With woeful eyes, she said, “My husband was a mason, two years ago our life took a flip when he was diagnosed with throat cancer. To manage my four kids with an ailing husband, I moved to my mother’s place in Ambedkar Camp, Delhi. I began working as domestic help with her and used to earn INR 3000. My father does not help us in any way. In this scanty amount, I had to arrange for my husband’s treatment and bring up my four children. My youngest child is just seven months old.”

After the lockdown, she faced an acute shortage of money, to the point that she had to decide between getting medicine for her husband’s treatment or to purchase basic necessities. She took a loan from local money lenders at an interest of 10%. Under such desperate situations, her husband began indulging in petty thievery.


The local MLA arranged for providing meals, but it was not enough for her whole family. She used to eat only little and used to keep the rest for her children. She felt the distribution was inconsiderate and treated everyone like a beggar!

One of her neighbours helped her gain access to the help extended by Coca Cola Foundation, CARE India and Anchal Charitable Trust. She received a dry ration kit which would allow her family to live with dignity for the next 30-40 days. She wiped her tears and said, “I don’t have to go anywhere or feel ashamed now. My family will eat properly. Thanks a lot for your support, during these times nobody helped, not even my employers. Please continue to help others in these difficult times.”

During COVID – 19 crisis, Coca-Cola and CARE India provided dry-ration kits with meticulously curated food items to meet specific nutritional needs of various marginalised groups such as migrant workers, daily wage earners and people living with HIV/AIDS across various parts of the country. The three-month-long programme benefited over 1.5 lakh people.

CARE India Team