COVID-19: Meet the Unsung Heroes of Bhanjanagar

Berhampur: Just a few days ago, a woman from Kulada village in Odisha’s Ganjam district passed away while undergoing treatment for a non-COVID disease at MKCG Medical College and Hospital in Berhampur. However, the villagers raised a hue and cry and strongly opposed the cremation of the woman in the village suspecting her a corona victim. Even, they did not allow the dead body to enter the village. The family members of the deceased were completely devastated and shattered. As the news reached nearby Bhanjanagar town, a group of self-made social workers immediately swung into action and rushed to Kulada to stand with the bereaved family members at their tragic moment. The young volunteers performed the final rites of the woman in the presence of her family members.

 

It is just one of the examples of good work that the volunteers have been doing silently and without media glare ever since the COVID-19 pandemic hit the Bhanjanagar block in Ganjam.

The unsung heroes of the voluntary organization ‘Helping Hands Bhanjanagar’ (HHB) have so far performed 10 funeral rites during the second wave of the pandemic.

With a sheer commitment to serve the needy and vulnerable sections of the society, the youths had formed the social organization three years ago. The members of HHB are mostly self-employed and spend their free time for social service.

The HHB volunteers have been showing their humane side at this crisis situation and contributing their bit to safeguard the lives of others at a time when the State is under the grip of a pandemic. These unsung heroes have been a part and parcel of Ganjam’s fight against the pandemic by dedicating their time for the benefit of the needy.

While their organization may not be getting space in any news or mainstream media, but its members are on the streets of Bhanjanagar and their selfless work speaks volumes regarding their commitment towards the society and the community.

While the Ganjam administration is making all out efforts to keep a tab on the surge of Covid-19, the members of HHB are contributing in the fight against COVID in many ways like feeding 100 poor and needy people daily, taking care of elderly and mentally-challenged persons and attending the distress calls of the needy. As the lockdown hits the lives of poor, they are lending helping hands to them to tide over the crisis. The members are helping people in need with medicines, essentials and food. They are playing an exemplary role in easing out the woes of those in need.

Speaking about the organization, Prasanta Pradhan, a key member of the organization, says that we are a group of volunteers who came forward with our own intention to help the people, especially the poor and needy at this pandemic situation.

No doubt, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has posed a major challenge to the life and livelihoods of the people. It has eventually affected everyone, however the acts of kindness of ‘Helping Hands Bhanjanagar’ has brought a renewed hope that humanity is not losing the war against the COVID-19 pandemic and will eventually conquer the virus.