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Situation report from the villages; Corona Video-Song

By: Boro Baski
20.05.2020 News

In an email from May 6th, 2020 Boro Baski informed us about the current situation in the villages against the background of lockdown and corona crisis. The mail ends with a link to a "Corona video song" by Boro Baski.

Dear Marianne di and friends,

This is to inform you that the villagers are doing well. Since most of the villagers depend on agriculture for their livelihood they did not have to go to the town for earning. Only countable men and women who go to Bolpur in the building construction work had to stop their work for few weeks due to lockdown restrictions but now they too can go to work. Our Birbhum district is identified as green zone where no confirmed case of covid-19 has been found yet. Therefore some activities including agriculture and construction have been allowed by the state administration.

The rice crop is ready in the fields and many villagers are about to start harvesting. Those who have no land are going to work in others’ field as laborers.

Some activities of the organization also are gradually being resumed where personal distancing can be maintained. At RSV teachers are coming to RSV in intervals to discuss about their lesson plans, making teaching materials and taking care of the campus. Sanyasi told me they are also guiding the students of classes III and IV in their respective families by visiting them and circulating notes.

RSV also distributed food stuff like rice, pulses, potato to the parents of the students who are in need during this period because their parents cannot go out to work. Sona Murmu, Pintu Ghosh, kitchen staff and night guards are coming to RSV as per their routine that they laid down for themselves.

As you might have heard that Monotsh’s mother  expired two weeks ago so he could not come to RSV regularly. Pintu is looking after the garden with one of his students. They have grown many vegetables during this lockdown period.

GBAT is distributing self made masks to the villagers. Three ladies from Bishnubati and Ghosaldanga are making these masks in their own homes and initial target has been kept to make 447 pieces. Bimol Baski and Sona Murmu are looking after the mask production and distribution work.

Here I send some of the photos of the activities and also a link of my song dedicated to the adivasi people stranded in the various towns and cities and their struggle to return to their home.

With regards,
Boro