Esther Ghosh, head of grants acquisition and management for World Vision India in Delhi, fought to save her brother's life. Video / AP / World Vision
The Herald has joined forces with World Vision to support India in its fight against the COVID-19 outbreak. We're bringing you stories from the front line and the opportunity to help – every story has a click-through button so you can donate direct to World Vision and help provide desperately needed supplies of oxygen, beds, medical supplies and food.
Grant Bayldon is national director of World Vision New Zealand. He says it's time to help our neighbours.
It's just over a year ago that New Zealand faced the prospect of Covid-19 spreading out of control. Of essential medical supplies running out, of hospitals forced to turn our loved ones away, of not getting the chance to say goodbye to family.
This risk galvanised us like nothing else I've seen. We looked out for our vulnerable neighbours, cheered on our essential workers, and did our bit to fight the disease – knowing that we were all in this together.
Families devastated by COVID-19 need you. Please click here to donate now at worldvision.org.nz and save lives
Our worst fears for ourselves weren't realised. But India was not so lucky.
Right now, relatives there are taking desperately ill family members from hospital to hospital, only to be turned away again. Outside, ambulances sit for hours, their paramedics fighting to keep people alive until a bed becomes available – but knowing it probably won't until it's too late. And in the overcrowded and impoverished slum communities many are simply struggling and dying at home; their families knowing that there is little point trying to get help.
But just like with our experience here in New Zealand, there are things we can do to help.
The things that are needed right now in India are mostly not complicated, but they are extremely urgent – oxygen, hospital beds, masks, soap and sanitiser. World Vision is there right now, providing these things to hospitals, health clinics and the poorest communities. But we desperately need your help to be able to reach as many people as possible.
The Covid-19 crisis has reminded us how important it is to look out for our neighbours here in New Zealand. Now we have a chance as Kiwis to show what great global neighbours we can be.
Whenever I meet with people in some of the poorest communities in the world, I'm struck by how similar they are to me. What matters to them most is exactly what I think would matter most to you or I if we were ever in that situation – that they can keep their families sheltered, healthy and loved.
Just as we kept the essential services like medicines and food going here, we must now work to help keep them going in India and other places where families are suffering the most.
People around the world want the same basic things, says Grant Bayldon,national director of World Vision New Zealand. Photo / supplied
If you have ever wished you could do something to help, this is your time.
World Vision and other organisations are ready to turn your donation into practical, life-saving help. But your support will mean even more than that – it will be a message to the people you will help that they too are our neighbours. Global neighbours we may never meet, but neighbours nevertheless.
Families devastated by COVID-19 need you. Please click here to donate now at worldvision.org.nz and save lives
Where your money goes
Your support will help save lives by providing protection, prevention, and urgent life-saving healthcare.
· Oxygen · Hospital beds · Medical supplies · Other desperately needed essentials
