New Delhi: We have been so lucky that in tough times, people from across the world, state and country are coming together to fight back this pandemic together. This shows that we are not alone in this global crisis. Many of us are doing work from home but many are going outside so that they can help us. Yes, you are right - “our frontline workers.”
Doctors are working day and night without thinking about their lives, on the other hand, so are our police forces. We are regularly reading about how they are rescuing hospitals from oxygen shortage, helping oldies of our societies to get admitted when no one is with them. The list of frontline workers does not end here, many died but many still working without thinking of the consequences. But what can we do in return? Of course, we cannot ever pay them for what they are doing for us, still, our little gesture can provide a little smile on their faces.
Akash Tayade, 27, a resident of Amravati, Maharashtra is working with UBS as a Data Analyst. Akash had an ordinary routine, like many other companies, his company also assigned the employees the relief of work from home. He lives with his parents, he also has an elder sister who is married. His day starts at 6 am in the morning while his work shift starts at noon and ends at 9 pm in the night. He is keenly interested in the stock market, he spends his rest of the dusk reading about the stock market.
In mid-February 2021, Akash underwent one of the dreadful situations of his life when his best friend's mother died because they were not able to arrange a hospital bed. After this episode, Akash started three social initiatives. Akash said, “It was very tough for me to see my friend going through such a painful crisis, I cannot even imagine how many people are still facing and going to face this situation shortly.”
Akash along with his friend Sakshat Bhagwat started their first initiative where they are helping outsider people coming to Amravati in search of hospitals, as well as the local community and village people so that they can start their treatment as early as possible.
Apart from this, Akash gives evening snacks and tea to the local police forces who are working on the ground. Akash said, “Most of us are working from home with fixed working time but our police forces are working day and night with no specific work hours. If they can work this much for us then can't we do a little for them. While I go to distribute the evening snacks and tea, my company supports me fully by adjusting my meeting hours and postpones them until I come back.”
Later Akash also wanted to help Covid families by providing them free meals. He asked his mother to cook for them. Akash said, “My mother agreed to this but later she was reluctant as it was risky in terms of my health. I needed to go out daily. After a few days, my mother said yes to this initiative. I started helping my mother by cooking vegetables while she makes roti. We get the orders on a prior basis and then before the working hour starts I deliver them to covid families.” Now Akash lives in a separate flat in the same building as he doesn't want to risk his parent's health by going out daily in this pandemic.
Akash said, “I take all the precautions whenever I go outside and come back home. Proper use of double mask, sanitiser and taking steam after coming back home are the things that I do. The food we distribute is all according to the patient's diet under the consultant of my sister who is a doctor.”
Akash also added that after he posted his initiative on social media, people started helping in their local areas as well. Through these initiatives, he wants to make a chain of people helping each other, if not many people then helping your neighbours who are suffering from Covid will be more than enough, he added.
