Our Response to COVID-19 Crisis in India 2021
The world has witnessed India’s struggle this year especially with devastating impact of the second surge of Covid-19.
This Pandemic has truly underscored many divides in this world: Oxygen, Digital, and basic Human Rights. The socio-economic problems deepen and persist beyond the current crisis. Covid orphans, child labor, child marriage and lack of food are some of the harsh realities among the marginalized communities.
Here is a quick look at YGB’s response to COVID-19 crisis and beyond:
1. Ensure that we raise enough funds so that our 1400 fund recipients can survive this current surge and its long lasting effect:
- 600 young children to continue their education with safe life environment
- 500 mothers to continue their work
- 700 young girls not to be married off or trapped into human trafficking
2.Use our funding for emergency relief as we did in 2020, as the lockdown started again in 2021:
- Shift our funding from regular micro loan funding to supplemental food for over 500 struggling families
- Hygiene and sanitary napkins for over 700 girls and women
- Education materials for over 600 children
- Assistance to ensure 200 teen girls to continue their remote tutorial classes, including providing food incentive for the girls’ families to keep them at school with YGB scholarship for higher education.
- Sponsor Covid orphans, abandoned children as well as assessing needs among severely affected families due to economic crisis
Your support this year has enabled YGB to add an important new program PROJECT SHAALE, funding 800 poor and rural children in Karnataka to combat learning delays and gaps caused by 18 months of school closures due to the Pandemic. Read more here.
Your support this year has enabled YGB to add an important new program PROJECT SHAALE, funding 800 poor and rural children in Karnataka to combat learning delays and gaps caused by 18 months of school closures due to the Pandemic. Read more here.
While many of us are blessed to have yoga practice in our lives, many women and children are struggling for their lives, severely affected by COVID-19 nationwide lockdown and a catastrophic Cyclone Amphan in 2020.
It’s estimated that 300 million people worldwide practice yoga, generating $80 billion every year. If a fraction of this is redirected, we can make a life changing difference.
Join #OneMillionYogis Giving Back!
Together, we have raised nearly $120,000 as of today with our three global campaigns since May: “Covid-19 Relief Campaign”($20,000), “International Yoga Day” ($45,000) and “A Global Gathering for India” ($50,000). Thanks to the leading sponsors and donors listed below not to mention all the participants and volunteers in nearly 30 countries, who helped all these campaigns truly successful. We will update you how your support will truly protect many lives as well as providing additional solutions to this crisis that exacerbated already serious socio-economic issues in underserved communities.
Big Thanks to These Generous Donors and Sponsors Leading These Global Campaigns!
EMPOWER SPONOSRS
$5000 +: LIFORME, Hiroko & Tadashi Maruoka, ECHoldings Japan, Gopi Ona-Ali and Morningland Community
$3500: Banyan Botanicals, JOIS Yoga, Pure Yoga HongKong
$2000+: Carla & Darius Gagne, Satomi Morota, Samudra Shiva Rea, Yoga Garden Philly
GRATITUDE SPONSORS
“$1008 EMPOWERMENT” SPONSORS
- Galie Yoga, Bellingham, WA, USA
- Kenneth Atchity, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Jocelyn Solomon, Santa Monica, CA, USA
- Terry Gilman, Manhattan Beach, CA, USA
- Michael Cypers, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Dena Kingsberg, Byron Bay, Australia
- Janice Hill, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Mandala-yogi up your life, Munich, Germany
- Lisa Revelins – Healthy Wealthy Wild, Perth, Australia
- YGB Conference “Living Yamas & Niyamas”
- Jacob Ulvila, Vienna, VA, USA
- Deena Al-Ansari, Manama, Bahrain
- Henry L. Kimelman Family Foundation, Wilmington, DE, USA
- Anri Shiga & The Yoga Lane Hong Kong
- Rina Tham, Topanga, CA,USA
- Danica Lynch, Castaic, CA, USA
- Modo Yoga, Canada
- Larry Payne and Friends’ “Yoga, Meditation & Mindfulness” Sessions
- Justin Temple, Marina Del Rey, CA, USA
- Anna So, Happy Valley, Hong Kong
- L. Sequin, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
- Angela MacDonald, Canada
- The Pad Project, Los Angeles, CA, USA
SUPPORT SPONSORS
$500+: JALA, Story Merchant, Ashtanga Yoga Tel Aviv, Birgitte Kirsten Yoga, Harmony Slater & Lara Land Yoga, Theresa Parsonage Yoga, Tara Mitra Yoga, Yoga Magazine Netherlands, Marc Holzman Yoga, Sachin Timbodia, Liga Geston, Daniel Reynolds, David Thurikill, Laura Caster, Brad Cudnik, Bettina Haffer, Beth Barmack, K. Wolf, Sachin Timbadia, Jennifer Christiansen, Carolyn Sivaram-Brandon, Cally Albrecht, Katrine Berge, Warrior Works, Renuka Matthews, Mina Lee, Allyson Pfeifer, Amanda Giacomini, Yoga Junkies, Sacred Yoga Studios
Recent Media Coverage
“Millions of Indian children Affected by COVID-Related School Closures, Digital Divide.” Wire, 12/29/2021
“India’s Stolen Youth” Al Jazeera, 11/25/2021
“Dalit, tribal women among worst victims of India’s hunger crisis” Al Jazeera, 10/25/2021
“Modi Govt’s Inability to Send Children Back to School Will Affect India’s Future,” The Wire, 8/11/2021
“Parent Want Primary Schools to Open, Online Education is a Cruel Joke for Most Kids,” The Wire. 8/3/2021
“Covid-19 rolls back progress on female education in India.”
East Asia Forum, 7/31/2021
“India’s true pandemic death toll is likely to be well over 3 million, a new study finds” NY Times, 7/20/2021
“Mother, When Will You Come? The Covid Orphans of India”
NY Times, 7/10/2021
“Government will aid children who have lost both parents to COVID- but why not all vulnerable kids?” Scroll.in, 6/14/2021
“My Dreams was buried: The children of India orphaned by COVID” The Guardian, 6/11/2021
“Covid-19 made poor more vulnerable to child trafficking” India Today, 6/8/2021
Question? Comment? Want to hold a fundraising event?
TESTIMONIALS
Join the Community
Tanja Mickwitz
YGB Ambassador, London
“What a beautiful day we had in the Stadspark Maastricht were we celebrated International Yoga Day 2018 together for Yoga Gives Back! With the summer sun on our faces accompanied by a soft breeze we took the time to stand still by the country that gave us the gift of yoga and where many women and children live in sadness and poverty. In a flow of meditation, asana and deep relaxation we connected with our hearts and the essence of the true meaning of yoga.The unifying vibes of yoga were going through the park connecting us and many #onemillionyogisglobally spreading the intentions of world peace and happiness. Thank you all for your presence, positive energy, connection and great donations for Yoga Gives Back!
Show your gratitude and compassion as a yoga practitioner, yoga teacher or just as a human being and join us in supporting real change. No one ever became poor of giving. Are you with us?”
Anouk Prop
YGB Ambassador, The Netherlands
“Recently, the most unfathomable thing happened to me. I was laid off from my job as a Pharmacist Project Manager after working for the same organization for 33 years. It was a shocking experience that I will never forget. Instead of wallowing in my sorrow, I chose to help those who need help. Since a year ago, I started practicing Yoga and Meditation to relief stress and anxiety. I met the founder of Yoga Gives Back (YGB) at a Yoga pop up class. Yoga Gives Back is an organization that helps empower women and provide scholarship to children and orphans by using ‘Micro-financing’, an unconventional financing to support women to start their own businesses.”
Mai Li
Volunteer, Los Angeles