An Update on the Migrant Worker Crisis
Tuesday, June 09, 2020
Dear BlinkNow family,
As you may know, our greater Nepali community has been facing a humanitarian crisis as nearly 500,000 migrants rushed across the India-Nepal border in an effort to return home to their villages after losing their jobs amidst the COVID-19 lockdown and outbreak. These workers and their families faced days of travel without food and water. Some walked for hundreds of kilometers and some swam across rivers, while others got into the back of produce trucks or packed into overcrowded buses and trains in 100+ degree heat. Once crossing the border into Nepal, they were met with strictly enforced quarantine requirements that cut off access to supplies. The situation quickly turned dire as thousands of people waited for global humanitarian organizations to arrive and distribute aid. BlinkNow was uniquely positioned to assist with this crisis because of our amazing Nepali team and the relationships we’ve spent years building with the local community and government. This allowed us to quickly fill the gap between the immediate need of the migrant workers and the large-scale interventions of international aid organizations. We feel honored to have been able to support our community during this difficult time.
Donations received for the migrant crisis response went to use immediately, as we worked to purchase food, water, and medical supplies to distribute to migrant families. We quickly scaled-up our capacity by renting vehicles to transport supplies and recruiting additional volunteers. Our staff worked tirelessly collaborating with other organizations and the Nepali government to pack and distribute food and supplies to the migrant workers as quickly and efficiently as possible. Because of these efforts, we’ve been able to reach over 26,189 migrant workers and family members with emergency supplies by meeting 1,883 busses with water and food and delivering care packages to 509 camps. So far, this support has allowed us to deliver:
and much more!
Our team stands ready to continue building connections between those who need help and those who can help. We will use our voice, our networks, our relationship with the local government, and our leadership role to help coordinate aid efforts and to inspire the creativity, coordination, and problem-solving needed to continue addressing this crisis in Nepal. We will also continue to directly serve the migrant worker community, delivering supplies to the quarantine camps in need of ongoing support with the remainder of the funds given to this effort.
As a portion of our staff tackled the migrant crisis response, the remainder of our team maintained our mission—changing the world by empowering Nepal's children. Led by John Estrella, BlinkNow’s executive director, our Nepali and U.S. staff ensured our core programs continued unimpeded. All 54 children in our Children’s Home and the 10 girls in our Big Sister’s Home received the love and care they needed while staying healthy and protected. Our Education Team stayed in contact with over 400 Kopila Valley School Students and their families— providing students with home education materials. Our Women's Center pivoted from their typical production of goods to create masks, ensuring PPE would be available in Surkhet. Finally, our Health and Wellness Team maintained the efforts of our food bank, which continues to serve the families in our community.
The past two weeks have reminded us of the power of community. We remain committed to our mission and protecting the children and families we serve. Throughout this, your encouragement means so much and we are proud you’re a part of our global BlinkNow community.
With love from Nepal,
Maggie