Aarti’s inspiration founder Sandhya Puchalapalli (centre) with girls from the home.
The Aarti Home, in Kadapa, which has been supported by Maidenhead Rotarians since 2012, provides a home and education for orphaned, abandoned and abused children. It also runs training programmes and raises awareness of good health and hygiene in its community, a small quarry mining town in Andhra Pradesh.
With the spread of the pandemic to India, Aarti’s inspirational founder Sandhya Puchalapalli has thrown the charity’s resources into helping the most vulnerable people in Kadapa’s slums.
With the spread of the pandemic to India, Aarti’s inspirational founder Sandhya Puchalapalli has thrown the charity’s resources into helping the most vulnerable people in Kadapa’s slums.
 One of 1,000 public information banners produced by Aarti to raise virus awareness.  Aarti’s women’s co-operative has been producing 1,000 masks a day since March. | Before India went into lockdown in March, Aarti started raising awareness about social distancing with 1,000 large banners giving hygiene guidance and information about the virus which were displayed all over the area. And 5,000 leaflets highlighting the importance of handwashing were also distributed. “We have made and distributed 3,000 sanitation packs of cleaning supplies and masks, 3,000 dry ration relief packs and 35 Covid-19 patient kits. The identification and distribution is being done in close collaboration with the district administration to identify and reach 21,695 families and 700 migrant workers. We are looking to distribute another 7,000 kits” said Sandhya. Since March Aarti’s women’s cooperative has been making 1,000 reusable two and three-ply masks a day for frontline workers. In addition, Aarti has donated 10 beds to the Kadapa hospital’s isolation ward and is involved in helping stranded migrant workers who are struggling, without food or shelter, to get home. Sanhya said “Our helplines and support networks are open and continue to work 24/7.” |