Badgam, May 18 ,2020: Anjuman’s Quick Response Team is a Rapid action team associated with philanthropic chapter of AnjumanSharieShian, Darul Mustafa Shariat Abad, JK, whose President is Aga Syed Hassan Mosavi Al-Safavi, the Chief Clergy of J&K Shiite Muslims and is currently under House Arrest since 3rd Auguest’2019 but it did not stop them to carry humanitarian work during COVID-19. The Anjuman Quick Response Team (whose head was made Dr. Khairunisa Aga, doctoral Candidate, in School of West Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi )was established as early as 15 of March 2020, after WHO declared the world was under Pandemic. The QRT devised a four-dimension response that includes Food for Needy, Track of Sick, Social Care, and Awareness and self-help. A wide and deep network of volunteers was prompted and we started with awareness, that includes a landmark decision of our clerical chapter headed by President of the organization, to close down the religious places for congregational activities. This was followed with closedown of the educational, social and tabligi/azadariactivities associated with the organization.
The organization engaged its infrastructure and social influence to spread awareness and this gave us good success in slowing down the spread of coronavirus that was not possible to achieve without certain decisions. We established emergency medical QRT of doctors who volunteered to respond to the doubts of people. In this, we were also able to conduct online consultation on FB and phone-in programs.
Second important step that was takes of data-collection of marginal groups and formulating categories to be reached for relief. The categories included daily wager workers, families below poverty line, house-holds headed by single women, children, stranded workers, abandoned adults and so on. The QRTs reached to the identified people along with the relief. In the distribution of food-kits we also encouraged self-help stock-pilling in local masjids. Since, the medical community quickly came under stress and we were aware of it. Thus, we distributed medical protection kits exclusively to the medical practitioners, we supplied limited oxygen to one hospital.
At Anjuman we don’t call it Social distancing but physical distance and time for social intimacy. Thus the QRT worked intensively reaching out to the people in need. Old-age people, patients of mental health, distressed women and young girls and children. Each member in QRT is assigned with one such cases and help the with the challenges. This makes us to distribute sanitation/hygiene-kits to girls and general hygiene kits of soaps and sanitizers. Women QRTs are also vigilant about the pregnant ladies, old age abandoned or lonely ladies. This compassionate vigilantism also helped to keep close eye on the untoward incident of domestic violence and abuse.
Decontamination proved to be a vast area that we extensively undertook. The QRTs sterilized public places of worship across religions, government offices, bank streets and ATMs, in specific. It also included sanitization of Muhallahs, hamlets and towns. We mainly focused on non or semi urban areas as these are the places facing huge neglect. It is Perinat to mentioned that organization working in coordination with various Municipalities across Valley.
In this extensive engagement with people the members of QRTs realized that the extraordinary times that has locked down people inside their houses, need an extra ordinary measures to keep the metal, spiritual, health on the top in order to cope up with this crisis. Thus one QRT was specifically put on the duty of producing material that encourage people and lift their spirit. This also included online religious activities and participation of young. We believe that faith increases immunity and also makes a person hopeful. Thus this mechanism is helping in keeping a huge papulation positive.
Following the principle of self-help, Masks and PPE’s in particular are self-made by skilled volunteers including women.
