The nationwide lockdown executed to minimize the infection of coronavirus COVID-19 has severely hit many low income and middle class families. Daily wage laborers, small entrepreneurs, families relying on the rental income and the waste workers are among the worst affected.  With the lengthening lockdown situation, an economic crisis has started– taking away the livelihoods of the low income families and daily laborers and exposing vulnerable people like sanitation workers to the dangers of infection. 
 

With the motive to combat the situation in the low income communities, Lumanti Support Group for Shelter in coordination with local governments and the Municipalities has carried out Emergency Relief Program through its networks, women groups/ cooperatives and youth groups in the Municipalities. 

The local women groups / cooperatives, community federation and local youth groups within the network of Lumanti have assessed the situation of the needy families in their respective communities and in close coordination with the local government, specifically ward office and Municipalities, has distributed relief materials to the identified needy families.  

Distribution of food items

In Kathmandu Valley, through different women groups and cooperatives, Lumanti in coordination with different Municipalities have provided food item support to 550 low income families which also includes families resided in informal settlements. 

In Ratna Nagar and Sundar Haraicha Municipality, Lumanti has contributed fund support worth one hundred thousand rupees to each municipality for relief distribution ensuring the relief support. The municipality, along with their contribution, distributed food item support to total of 1486 low income families.
 

Likewise, Lumanti, in coordination with Biratnagar Metropolitan City, distributed food items to 100 income families mobilizing the local women cooperatives. Whereas in Birgunj, Lumanti partnered with local youth club which has coordinated with the Birgunj Metropolitan City, and distributed relief materials to 307 needy families in low income communities. The youth club as well shared equal contribution for relief distribution. 

Medical and other support

Total of 80 elderly people suffering from diabetes, blood pressure and severe heart diseases are supplied with medicines and provided supported for their laboratory test in Siddhipur. Additionally, support has been provided for disinfecting the communities in Siddhipur. 
 

Sanitation material support

Quarantine stations in Kirtipur Municipality is provided with sanitation materials. Total of 160 buckets and jugs, 160 towels and 16 toilets pan were provided to the quarantine station. 

In addition to this, total of 35 Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) were provided to the sanitation workers in Teku, Kathmandu.

Apart from these, with the funding support worth NPR One hundred fifty thousand rupees to each Municipality in Kohalpur and Baijanath Municipality in Banke district, installation of hand washing stations were done in 23 ward offices and 4 quarantine stations. Besides, COVID-19 focused awareness raising information have been disseminated through electronic media and mic-ing covering entire municipality areas.