Just over a year into the pandemic, things over here are finally beginning to get back to normal, and with 48 million people in the UK having been vaccinated at the time of writing this (according to Gov.UK), there’s reason to be hopeful that this will all be over soon.

However, the dire scenes taking place in India right now are a reminder that this pandemic is far from over; until countries all over the world have this virus under control, we haven’t beat Covid- 19 just yet.

With hospitals filled to their capacity, shortages of beds, medicine & most significantly oxygen, cremations taking place on streets & in car parks and record numbers of Covid- 19 related cases & deaths worldwide, this pandemic has absolutely crushed India’s healthcare system. 

Meanwhile, the Indian government seems to be taking a back seat, forcing its people to fend for themselves. In a conversation posted to Instagram between Indian- born Canadian poet Rupi Kaur & renowned Indian journalist Rana Ayyub, Ayyub mentioned having ‘no sympathy for a man [Prime Minister Modi] who is leading election campaigns when people are dying’.

The UK government has pledged to help India and has been sending life- saving oxygen equipment to India over the past week, and UK- based charities / aid groups have been overwhelmed by support from the public.

If you want to do your part to help, here is a non- exhaustive list of charities that could use your donation, no matter how big or small:

Khalsa Aid UK

@/khalsa_aid (ig)

www.khalsaaid.org/donate

Khalsa Aid is an international non- profit organisation with the aim to provide humanitarian aid in disaster areas and conflict zones. 

GiveIndia

@/give_india (ig)

giveindia.org

GiveIndia is a non- profit organisation in India that aims to channel and provide resources to credible non- governmental organisations across India.

Feeding India

@/feedingindia (ig)

www.feedingindia.org/donate

Feeding India is a non- profit organisation providing hospitals and patients with oxygen supplies as part of its ‘India Needs Oxygen’ campaign.

If you are unable to donate, make sure to spread the word about what’s happening!