Roles of Community during Crisis like COVID-19 Pandemic

Maj Rajkumar Jhaljit Singh (Retd.) *

The prevailing COVID-19 global pandemic has affected all our lives, one of the worst crises in modern history after 1918 Spanish Flu. As of 22 April 2020, the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has infected 2,614,803 people and caused 182,467 deaths worldwide spreading 210 countries. It has no boundary, caste, gender and creed.

It has impacted the global economic significantly since Great Depression. About 136 million jobs are at risk due to Corona Virus global Pandemic. G20 governments have promised a $5 trillion revival effort, major central banks have slashed rates and restarted asset purchases.

US government’s unprecedented $2 trillion fiscal expansion package, Japan have pumped 1.01 trillion stimulus packages. India’s Finance Minister announced various welfare measures to a measure worth USD 23 billion and RBI have announced several measured and cutting the reverse repo rate by 25bps to address liquidity stress.

In crisis, we often see community group in action, such as donations following a flood, earthquake or even terror strike. Like minded individuals join together, and contribute to relieve in daunting circumstances. NGOs also tend to direct some attention to respond to crises.

COVID-19 global pandemic is one of worst crisis in the modern history that has brought the world and all major cities to grinding halt. An immediate economic impact is already apparent, as so many have lost their jobs due to halted economic activity.

During such unprecedented crisis what role can a Community based Organization play and the only means to fight this unseen enemy is we all stand together and united. It is not just a health care crisis but a larger humanitarian, economic and political one. This is not a time to preach but to act in small or big way in supporting your community.

Please note Community Association /Organization is no substitute to government, the Government has a unique and vital role that is irreplaceable. In an effective democratic society, community should in fact complement government action and resources. This reality becomes apparent in crises.

Manipuri Meitei Association, Bangalore (MMAB) response to COVID-19 Global Pandemic

MMAB is non profiting, apolitical, volunteers association of working and settled Manipuri based here in Bengaluru. Primary a parental/senior body of Manipuri and was established in 1996, since then it has grown from few hundreds to 650 strong members and continue to grows.

The Association have played key role in promoting and protecting Manipuri culture and traditions in this southern Indian City and actively support student wing, Bangalore Manipur Students’ Association. It also provides professional guidance and assisted many during the time of need. The current Executive team consist of twenty members including Legal team and seven senior advisors and the writer is the current President of MMAB.

We were flooded with series of query regarding COVID-19 global pandemic. In fact, MMAB started conducting awareness session long time back in the month of Jan and also issued a press release in all leading Manipur print media in 1st week of March 2020 of appealing to all the relevant associations based here in Bengaluru to postpone and cancel any social/cultural gathering in the interest of our community health and safety, followed by series of awareness sessions our members and social media.

It was the time for all us to come up with immediate action plan and following measures were taken by core committee group comprising of 9 Executive Members.

1. First gather all information related with COVID-19. Of course, we all wanted to help people on ground at the same time we were also concern about our own safety and health. Having collected reasonable information, we all decided to help the needy people on ground and not through virtual medium of communication.

We know even the Government and many other agencies have come up with many relief schemes which were more at strategic level but our prime concern was to provide immediate relief on ground. Hence, we took a calculated risk to help the needy on ground, having sought medical opinions to maintain social distance of 4ft, wear mask, gloves and using hand sanitizer as frequent as possible.

Our philosophy was to assume every individual is potential carrier to protect ourselves, we follow the same within the core group, with a motto “Nobody goes to sleep empty stomach”.

2. One of the first step we took was setting up a command center and establishing helpline as responsible Association. In fact, we were the first Association to establish a well structure response plan, we have divided our response to cover most the part of Bengaluru and the chart reflect the same. We all are well settled working professional and to give a brief background of MMAB Core Committee

Sr No. MMAB Post Name Profession
1 President ; Maj Rajkumar Jhaljit Singh (Retd) ; Vice President in leading Financial Company
2 Vice President ; Thokchom Romen Singh ; Sr HR Manager in MNC
3 Gen Secretary ; Nongthomban John Singh ; Sr IT Project Manager in leading IT MNC
4 Chief Coordinator ; Yambem Arun Meetei ; Entrepreneur and Sports Consultant
5 Legal ; Rajkumari Chanchal Devi ; Corporate lawyer
6 Treasurer ; L Baru Luwang ; IT Manager in leading Financial company
7 Social & Cultural ; Aribam Shanta Sharma ; Self-employee
8 Publicity ; T. Sibaraj Singh ; CEO Impulse Hospitality & Tourism Services Pvt Ltd
9 Ladies Representative ; P. Binika Devi ; IT Project Manager in Financial Company

3. Consolidating the details of all needy people from Manipur this include daily wages earners from security, hotel, hospitality, apparel stores, beauty parlor, interns, diploma, students, etc. We spoke with each one of them to understand their issue so that we could come up with effective means to help them. We also validated the data and analyzed the data for our planning.

4. Mobilization of resources was the next on our card, we did mobilize all our members for raising funds through effective communication strategy, connected with Bengaluru Police who helped us in providing COVID Pass and supported during all our phase food relief activities.

Connected with all like-minded individual who believed on MMAB including few armed forces veterans who supported significantly in our mission. We also reached out to few Associations including BMSA for collaboration. We meticulously found a vendor who could supply required food ration during the lockdown.

5. We got an overwhelming support and many members contributed generously. I would like to quote a message from one of our youngest contributors, Derek Moirangthem “Uncle please accept my humble small contribution, a saving from my music’s performance. I would like to contribute to MMAB and join in the mission”.

We were touched and encourage by such genuine and sincere contributor who believed in us in helping people and ensuring families’ s wellbeing during this unprecedented crisis related to COVID-19 global pandemic. It got mass support and from one we could reach 100 supporters contributing from their hard-earned saving.

6. We have successfully distributed food packages (5 Kgs Rice, 1 Kg Dal, 1/2 Oil, salt, Masala, Turmeric, Soap) to about 750 families (2000 people) and financial support of about INR 400 -500 to those we cannot visit during this COVID-19 global pandemic ensuring the well-being of our families and people.

We have also helped few needy people from other states and few migrants’ workers. MMAB is also providing all possible support to all stranded people from Manipur be it engaging with Landlord who has served notice for vacating accommodation, providing morale support to many young female and male students calming them and making our team available as a guardian. In coordination with few helps group we could also provide alternate arrangement for stranded people.

Some of our work and activities are uploaded of MMAB Facebook account.
Facebooink https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2913468058761163&id=100002939923289

This wouldn’t have been possible without the support of all its members, volunteers, Bengaluru Police especially DCP Anucheth and his team, Mahadevpura Police OC and DCP Shrinath Joshi and his team, Sunbird Trust CEO Col. Christopher Rego and his Team (Johnny J.) and to all the veteran who supported.

Contribution of MMAB during COVID-19 global pandemic

Over the period what we have realized is the main help we have provided was not the food packages to the people in dire condition but bringing people together and igniting the human spirit.

Individual acts of kindness are often characteristic in moments of crisis across all walks of life through these simple basic acts we were able to prevent any panic in the community and people from Manipur.

We could experience how committed are people and will to chip in for our brothers and sisters. We were able recognize how people (young, small, from every sector of life) help each other in this moment of need and each one can make the difference small or big.

While this is a global crisis, but the people to be impacted hardest are mostly diaspora community and daily wages earners. Many Government agencies announced many relief measures however it definitely took time to reach needy and connect with the people on ground.

We filled that voids that are not sufficiently addressed by the public or private sectors and helped in calming the people, connecting emotionally, reassuring them that you are not alone which strengthened our community and people from Manipur. This plays an important detrimental role in any mass exodus.

I am of firm opinion that the crisis is not a sprint and it wouldn’t be over after 3rd May 2020 after lifting the lockdown but marathon, it would be stretched beyond 2020 and the world will never be the same again in the way we engage and interact. One can only imagine how lifestyles might change substantially for years to come.

This is where I strongly feel MMAB could play a vital role in engaging with the community and if required with the Government and compliment them, led by MMAB Vice President and self we have started focusing on what after COVID-19 and returning to normalcy, returning to work, school colleges.

To provide a platform for our community and people from Manipur.

We will not able to quantify the magnitude of its impact of COVID19, MMAB responses to crisis has been immediate, and relieved shorter-term crises with focusing on long term challenges and underlying dynamics. As mentioned, it is not just a health care crisis but a larger humanitarian, economic and political one.

Its economic impact is evident in world stock market tumbling and oil barrel trading at negative Dollar. The years to come will bring the opportunity for community to rise to an unprecedented occasion. These are unprecedented times, but we will get through them together. Stay safe, alert and stay strong.


*** Please note some of the data are gathered from open source