A Rocha India and the COVID crisis
You will have seen ongoing reports from India where a crisis of historic proportions continues to unfold. The A Rocha India team have not only lost close personal friends, but several have themselves been seriously unwell with COVID-19. Medical infrastructure in Bangalore, where the centre is located, has completely collapsed and daily deaths in the area run to the hundreds.
The team are doing night-time elephant patrols to reduce crop raiding as most Forest Officers are not working, and many have been impacted by Covid. Villagers are now to a great extent dependent on A Rocha for prevention of human-elephant conflict, which has grown worse as wildlife has gained confidence during lockdown.
A Rocha India has also responded to the request to undertake Covid relief work by local government. Avinash Krishnan, who heads up A Rocha India, writes, ‘We are actively campaigning to meet the needs of people and help save lives. I am hoping this call for humanity will render justice in serving the needy through the work of A Rocha India.’
Throughout this terrible time, A Rocha India’s relationship with the local community and government has been strengthened and their reputation enhanced. Please pray this will bear fruit in their ability to carry out impactful work in the years to come.
Read more of A Rocha India’s work during the pandemic.
Photo: Distributing relief supplies to frontline staff of the Karnataka Forest Department. (A Rocha India)