#spark.live

The COVID-19 outbreak, and the subsequent lockdown, have propelled India into an unprecedented humanitarian and health crisis. The government, both at the central and the state level, is trying to mitigate the disastrous impact of the lockdown on the livelihoods of hundreds of thousands of people, but the challenge is unique. By initial estimates, 12.2 crore Indians have lost their jobs since the lockdown began, and the domino effect of it has yet to develop.

In such trying times, some NGOs have risen to the challenge, and have intervened on an urgent basis to provide relief to a large number of distressed people despite having numerous difficulties – financial and logistical.

One such NGO is the Pardada–Pardadi Education Society (PPES) which has done exemplary work with limited resources in Uttar Pradesh.

Reaching Out to 1.5 lakh People in Distress

Speaking exclusively to Spark.Live, the CEO of PPES, Ms. Renuka said, ‘After the outbreak of COVID-19, we first decided to understand the need of the community. For that, we immediately started an SMS service and a toll-free calling service so that anybody who has any kind of need – related to ration, intervention in case they are facing oppression at home, or not getting services from the government – could call us.’

It was quickly realized, that livelihood opportunities needed to be created – particularly for women – as in a time of crisis, women are especially vulnerable. With that goal in mind, the existing production center of the foundation, named iVillage in Anupshahar, started to produce face masks by employing 200 women. Within this short period, they have produced 1.7 lakh face masks.

However, with most people losing their jobs, the immediate concern was to provide relief by distributing ration. Ms. Renuka added, ‘We identified the most vulnerable families and our volunteers started to distribute ration. We also provided our school building in Anupshahar as a quarantine center because the village lacks the quality infrastructure to house people.’

So far, with targeted intervention in 120 villages in and around Anupshahar, almost 1.5 lakh lives have been touched by the tireless volunteers of PPES.

The Road Ahead

Ms. Renuka concedes that the future is fraught with bigger challenges.

For someone closely working with women and girls of the region, Ms. Renuka realizes that vanishing means of livelihood have a more sordid impact on women – their health, education, and physical well-being become the immediate casualty. Subsequently, she has directed her NGO’s resources to help such women. ‘As an organization, we have always believed that development can only be achieved if women and girls are economically and socially empowered. Even during this time, that remains a big goal. We need to make all women economically independent. So, our immediate aim now is to raise funds for the 5000 women who are associated with our self-help group and give them a revolving sum of at least Rs 20,000.’

The ripple effect of this can be enormous.

It has been reported that illegal money lenders in villages are thriving in COVID–19 afflicted India, charging steep interest rates. Ms. Renuka says that a direct cash transfer of Rs 20,000 can save many families from falling into this vicious circle of a debt trap.

PPES has also readied a mobile health clinic that can reach remote villages and are exploring possibilities to deploy it once necessary permissions are obtained from the authorities.

Striking an optimistic note, Ms. Renuka said, ‘The world is going through difficult times and the long term impact of this is unknown, however, we here at PPES are very positive that together, we can push through this and see a new dawn.’

How Can You Help?

Organizations such as PPES are doing extraordinary work under extremely difficult circumstances. Their work can transform lakhs of Indian lives which are currently under duress.

They are seeking to raise funds for their various programs and direct cash transfers. If you wish to donate, a link to their donation page is provided below. All donations made to PPES are tax-deductible under Section 80G of the I-T Act.

A major world event always shakes things up, for instance, the rise of E-commerce post-SARS. While online classes are taken with a grain of salt, we have to remember that this is the same reaction humanity had to e-commerce, social media, and the veracity of Wikipedia!

However, as the world moves online, it is hard to ignore the sheer comfort, convenience, and choice offered by online classes. No longer bound by geography, you can book an online session with an expert irrespective of location. Furthermore, you also get to try a new skill with an expert who provides individual attention, corrections, and guidance.

But how do you know which class is for you?

Here are our 5 tips to ensure you pick the perfect online class for you!

Criteria For Learning

Why are you taking this class? Is it to learn an important skill that you may need for your career? Is it a hobby? Are you trying something new?

Along with this question, it’s best to figure out how much time you have to devote yourself to such classes. For instance, online yoga classes typically last between 30-60 minutes; do you have that much time to spare? What does your availability look like if you want to continue this class? Can you commit enough time per week to an online dance class and build your skill?

Additionally, what is your budget? Can you afford to spring a certain amount for an online fitness class? If not, take a look at the various Spark.Live programs and find one that is feasible for you!

Explore Your Options

Sometimes exploring through all the options available can make you interested in a particular skill or class that you may have never considered otherwise.

You may be looking for an online dance class but realize you could have both fitness and dance with an online Zumba class instead! Similarly, you could be browsing through and suddenly find an online yoga class that specializes in a particular form of yoga you’ve always wanted to try!

Or you may find classes related to important life skills such as cooking and sewing!  

Read Program Descriptions and Expert Profiles

Another great way to know what you’re interested in is to read the program descriptions. These descriptions will usually outline the basic structure of the class, what is going to be taught, and may even contain links to the expert conducting the session.

For instance, you may find an online fitness class taken by an expert who also knows kickboxing! This way, you get the chance to incorporate those elements into your workout!

We recommend going through expert profiles during your research as this can give you a good idea for the class and the expert themselves. You may find yourself impressed by the many accomplishments held by our Spark.Live experts.

Narrow Down Your Choices

Now that you’ve gone through a good portion of the selection, you might find there are multiple online classes you want to register for. However, it would be best to narrow it down to choices based on your availability, session fees, and general interest level.

If you find yourself wanting to start multiple classes, go back to step 1 and find out which ones line up best with your availability and budget.

Make A Schedule and Start Learning!

Once you’ve decided on a class (or five), make a schedule regarding your sessions and start learning! No time like the present!

Just make sure you have all the necessary equipment needed for a specific class, eg. a tuned guitar for a guitar class, a yoga mat, sneakers for an online Zumba class, etc.

Book an online class on Spark.Live now!!!