The second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic has created a dark and desperate situation across India. The rural villages where we work are made particularly vulnerable by a lack of access to resources and care. Healing Fields is working to build capacity in these communities and create bridges to healthcare and aid.  During the first wave, our Community Health Entrepreneurs proved to be crucial nodal points from which knowledge, best practices and emergency aid could be distributed. We are now working in 1000 villages to train the CHE on response, activate resilient village level committees and build a teleconsulting network, which includes mental health support and is linked to local hospitals. Further, the CHEs will be village level anchors for creating quarantine centers and distributing emergency aid like rations and medication. 

The leadership of our health leaders manifested full force during the first wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Healing Fields activated 1,200 Community Health Facilitators to educate their communities, distribute rations and launch covid committees in their villages. Following the nation-wide lockdown, Healing Fields provided dignified journeys home for 2,475 migrant laborers stranded away from home and established 103 quarantine centers for a safe transition for 4,078 migrants. Village women leaders taught large-scale demonstrations of hand washing and social distancing protocols. They have also facilitated 6,555 families access to entitlements and provided 10,212 families rations. Our CHEs also organized Covid Committees in 214 villages, so that covid protocols, quarantine support and movement could be managed by the community itself.