How Deaf Youth of Bangalore stepped up in a time of crisis – The Hindu

As the pandemic and resulting crises of unemployment and mass migration of labourers in Bengaluru began escalating, so did the harrowing incidents of starvation and deprivation. Moved by the plight of migrants stranded around the city, Siddharth J Menon (22) and his friend Avinash Jalari (23), decided to do something to help.

As persons with hearing impairment themselves, the duo could relate to the predicament of fellow sufferers. Putting on their prior experiences of volunteering for various NGOs to use, they began rounding up such aid as they could in terms of cash and kind from family and friends and formed Deaf Youth of Bangalore (DYB).

After collecting about 2.5 lakh in a weeks time, the DYB team made a room in Siddharths home their base of operations and began packing provisions of rice, flour, pulses and oil they had collected, into parcels for distribution. Mindful of lockdown protocol the team would sanitise themselves and wear masks while stepping out. By word of mouth and contacts within their group, the team began delivering these essentials, says Jayshankar A V, Siddharths father.

However, once they got started, they realised they could not turn a blind eye to other migrant workers, street dwellers and daily wage earners who were also suffering and they began to provide for them too, he adds.

Eventually, the group moved to making and packing biryani as meal packets that they distributed to those camped at KSTRC bus stations, police stations and other areas. For over a fortnight, the DYB team went about the city offering whatever relief they could, in whichever way they could, despite a lack of skilled training in social work.

Looking forward, the DYB team hope to register their NGO and diversify their sphere of aid for the needy.

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