Reports
COVID 19 and Support to Refugees by COVA
As part of our interventions with refugees, COVA has been providing rations to about 135 most destitute Rohingya refugee families for the past 5 years comprising widows, elderly, single mothers, chronically ill and orphans. One the other hand we were encouraging the remaining 1100 families Rohingya families to earn a living through daily wages, petty businesses etc. In fact we provided livelihood grants to over 150 Rohingya refugees to start or scale up small businesses and enterprises after the Lockdown and provided rations and cash support to 1200 Rohingya families that could last them for 2 months and enabled them to survive till the easing of the Lockdown in June 2020. Another round of rations support was provided to 600 families who were unable to regain their livelihoods in June 2020 to help them sustain for two more months
Ration Kits
COVA provided 3000 kits with a month’s ration to migrants, teachers of private schools, destitute families and Refugees from 8 countries viz. Myanmar, Sudan, South Sudan, Afghanistan, Syria, Kenya, Palestine and Somalia.
Restoration of Small Businesses
Most people engaged in small businesses like selling vegetables, fruits, tea etc. had lost their working capitals during the Lockdown and now have no means to restart their businesses. Immediately with the easing of the Lockdown, COVA launched a program from 7th June 2020 to provide working capital to help restore small businesses including those of Rohingya Refugees.
Grants of Rs. 2000 to 5000 were provided to 60 Rohingya Refugees and rickshaws of 60 scrap collectors were repaired at an average cost of Rs. 2500. This is helping beneficiaries of this program to start earning Rs.400 to Rs. 500 daily and thereby support themselves and their families for years to come.
Grants of Rs. 2000 to 5000 were provided to 60 Rohingya Refugees and rickshaws of 60 scrap collectors were repaired at an average cost of Rs. 2500. This is helping beneficiaries of this program to start earning Rs.400 to Rs. 500 daily and thereby support themselves and their families for years to come.
They are educated, from middle classes and being fluent in Arabic and French make a living in Hyderabad by providing translation services in corporate hospitals and hotels and also by providing services to foreign students. Some also survive on remittances from relatives in western countries.
However, due to the pandemic and the lockdown, all their sources of livelihood have dried up and even remittances from relatives have reduced and they are facing acute challenges for food and other basic necessities.
Subsistence Support for Refugees
Realising their plight provided rations and cash support for sundry expenses to 84 families from 7 countries viz. Sudan, South Sudan, Somalia, Kenya, Palestine, Syria and Afghanistan in May 2020 and again in August 2020. To reduce the costs and inconvenience to these refugees, COVA took steps to deliver the rations kits close to their homes in 14 different locations spread across Hyderabad and Secunderabad ranging from Sun City and Toli Choki and Brindavan Colony in West to Sitaphalmandi and Habshiguda in North to Vanasthalipuram in East to Babanagar in South of Hyderabad.
The Kits were prepared and cash amount (between Rs. 500 to Rs. 1500) given keeping in view the family sizes so it can last them for at least 2 months..
Support to Refugees in Cash & Kind Mobilised by COVA during 2018-19–At a Glance
| In-Kind | Value in INR | In-Cash | INR | |
| Bed Sheets | 18,000 | Ration | 18,63,009 | |
| Ration Kits | 60,000 | School Fees | 2,19,600 | |
| Total: | Rs: 78,000 | Total: | Rs: 20,82,609 |
Total amount mobilized in cash and kind during 2018-19: Rs 21,60,609/-
Case Study: Adopt a Destitute Refugee Program
Zulekha Khatoon, one of the benefactors of the Adopt a Destitute Refugee Program.
Zulekha Khatoon, a widowed Rohingya Refugees of 48 years , came to Hyderabad in 2014, with her son Mohd. Yaseen and his wife Mariyam Khatoon who have five children. Because of constant domestic quarrels with her daughter in law, she is forced to stay alone and her son is able to provide very little support that is not enough for her survival.
Now, with ‘Adopt a Destitute Refugee Family Program’ facilitated by COVA with support from Individual Donors, Zulekha, does not have to worry about her daily bread and is saved from recurring periods of starvation.
School Fees Support to Refugee Children
COVA encourages refugees to admit their children in government schools, but in 2 localities, there are no government schools nearby. So COVA decided to help with the financial support to the refugee children for joining in the private schools in their neighborhood. School fees, books, and uniforms for 29 students are being provided with the support of the individual donors.
UNHCR Refugees students are studying at St. Mary’s High School and Rectify Mission School at Wadi-E-Huda and Shaheen Nagar respectively.
Ms. Naheed Banu Vice-President of COVA verified and assessed these students on 28th February 2019 and they performed remarkably well with regards to their studies. Since the students are doing well with their education COVA has decided to support them financially for 2019-20 also.
COVA Supported Jammu Refugees with Monthly Ration
An Emergency Situation in Jammu:
Around 7500 refugees have been living in Jammu for years but since 2016 they are being assaulted by the locals and in some cases, their hutments have been put on fire. Alarmed by this hostility, some families moved out of Jammu to other cities and 240 families migrated to Hyderabad since February 2017.
Realising their pathetic plight, COVA is supported with Rs: 2, 41, 340/- for 2018-19 towards monthly rations.
World Refugee Day 2018: Friendly Football Tournament at Hyderabad
Organized by UNHCR and COVA in Partnership with Save the Children
Sponsors: CYIENT Ltd.
COVA collaborated with UNHCR, Save the Children and Telangana Football Association to organized football tournament on the occasion of World Refugee Day with the sponsorship with CYIENT Ltd. The friendly football tournament conducted in Hyderabad from 20th of June to 22nd of June 2018 which aimed to build empathy and understanding of people forced to flee.
The Football Tournament was held at Quli Qutub Shall stadium with 16 teams from corporates, colleges and local football clubs who played with football teams of refugees living in Hyderabad.
The Chief of Mission for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in India and the Maldives, Ms. Yasuko Shimizu, presented the trophies to the teams and remarked that “Today, there are 25.4 million refugees and on a global level, the UNHCR has been trying to create a support system for refugees and communities hosting them. Because of their large numbers, the authorities and the UNHCR alone cannot support them,” She also added that “It means a lot to see both the refugees and the members of local communities together here in Hyderabad which has a commendable spirit of working with refugees and this model should be followed in other places as well.”
Winners of the “World Refugee Day 2018 – Friendly Football
Tournament” with Chief of Mission of UNHCR and other Dignitaries
Tournament” with Chief of Mission of UNHCR and other Dignitaries.
Independence Day celebrations at CFLS Balapur 2018 A culmination Program of Sports for Refugee Girls, Boys, and Women.
COVA organized sports events for girls, boys, and women in collaboration with Save the Children and UNHCR on Independence Day 2018.
The day’s Program started at 9 am with gathering and celebration of flag hoIsting by singing our national anthem. The refreshments were then distributed, everyone moved to city pearl garden where events are organized. First, the children played a ball game then the women participated in music chair competition. The programme engaged all the women, the adolescent girls took part in the competitions by singing patriotic songs.
The Children were given refreshments then they were moved to Pearl City hall Garden few events