Home / Field work / Covid lockdown relief
Field work
When the city shut down, the kitchens stayed open
The lockdown left many people without wages and without a roof. Our volunteers, in masks, cooked and carried food to people who had nothing else to eat.
In our photographs
Masks, a very large pot and a hand held out
The photographs in our lockdown folder show volunteers in masks. One stirs a huge pot with a long ladle while others watch. One bends over a woman resting on a pavement beside a painted wall. One gives food to a man sitting on a roadside with a bundle.
These pictures were taken in the streets of Visakhapatnam. The people in them were daily-wage workers, rag pickers, elderly people and others who had lost their means of living overnight.
The work followed the same pattern as the trust’s other food services, but with more care for distance, masks and clean hands.
What the lockdown meant for the poor
For a family that earns its meal each day, a lockdown is a disaster. A vendor cannot sell, a labourer cannot go to work, a rickshaw puller cannot ride. Savings run out in days. Hunger comes soon after.
People who live on the street had no home to stay in. Many were afraid of the disease and of the police. Public kitchens were few and far between.
How we worked
We cooked in a large pot, packed food in plates and boxes and carried it to places where we knew people were hungry. Volunteers wore masks, kept apart where possible and washed their hands before and after.
We served people on the roadside, in doorways and under shelters. We did not ask for papers. We asked how many people were in the group and made sure that each had a plate.
Looking after volunteers
The volunteers were young people who risked their own health. We asked them to wear masks and to avoid touching their faces. We told them to stay at home if they had a cough or fever, and to take days off when they were tired.
We thank their families, who allowed them to go out in a difficult time.
What we learned
We learned that a food service can be organised in a day if people are willing. We learned that the people who most need help are the ones who have no phone and cannot ask. We learned that kindness does not need a big budget.
We also learned that crises end, but poverty does not. The same families who had no food in the lockdown still struggle today.
Hygiene steps we followed
Volunteers washed hands before cooking and before serving. Masks were worn throughout. Plates and boxes were clean and packed without touching the food. Serving spoons were used, and people were asked to stand at a distance.
We also told volunteers to avoid crowded places on the way home, and to wash clothes and take a bath after each day in the field.
Who we met
We met daily-wage workers who could not reach their villages, elderly people whose families lived far away, people who sold small things on the pavement and children who had lost their school meal.
Some people wept when they were handed a plate. Others joked. Many simply said thank you and sat down to eat in silence.
What the lockdown taught the city
The lockdown showed how thin the safety net is for people who live from day to day. It also showed how quickly ordinary people can organise to help one another. Neighbours cooked for neighbours. Shopkeepers gave rice. Students volunteered.
We hope that the habit of helping did not end with the lockdown.
Being ready next time
Preparedness is simple: a list of volunteers, a list of places where people gather, a stock of rice, oil and vegetables, and a way to cook large amounts quickly. We keep all of these in mind.
If you can offer a kitchen, a vehicle or a few hours, tell us now, so that we can reach you in a crisis.
The questions people asked us
People asked why we were out in the lockdown, whether the food was free, and whether we would come again. We told them the food was free and that we would come as long as we could.
Some asked us to tell their families that they were safe. We passed on the message where we could. These small acts of connection mattered as much as the food.
How donors helped
Donors gave rice, oil, vegetables, money and time. Some gave anonymously. Some volunteered after giving. We thank every one of them. Their gifts turned a plan into plates of food.
If you gave in that time, you are part of this page. If you did not, you can still help by joining the volunteer list.
Why we keep the photographs
The pictures remind us of a hard time and of what people can do when they decide to help. They are also a record for donors who wished to see where their gifts went.
We have not used the pictures for advertising, and we do not show faces of people who did not agree.
Lessons for a future crisis
Make a list of volunteers, cooks and drivers. Keep a stock of rice, oil and gas. Know the places where people gather. Have a plan for masks, water and hand washing. Share the plan with neighbours.
A crisis is easier to meet when people have met one another before it begins.
If you were helped then
If you or your family received food from our volunteers in the lockdown, we hope you are well. If you want to tell us your story or to help others now, please write to us. Your voice would encourage new volunteers.
We will never publish a story without your permission.
Keep in touch
Write to us if you want to be told about future relief work. We will add your name to the volunteer list and call you when help is needed.
How it works
A lockdown food day
Four careful steps.
1
Cook
Food is cooked in a large pot by volunteers who wear masks.
2
Pack
It is packed into plates and boxes with clean hands.
3
Carry
Volunteers take it to places where hungry people gather.
4
Serve
Each person is handed a plate at a safe distance.
Questions
Lockdown work questions
These are the questions people ask about the lockdown work.
When was this work done?
The photographs come from the Covid lockdown period. The exact dates are in our private records.
Did you serve only in one area?
The photographs come from different roads in Visakhapatnam. We do not publish a full list of places.
Who paid for the food?
Gifts from donors and volunteers pay for our work. We do not publish a breakdown for each day.
Is the lockdown work still going on?
The lockdown has ended. The outdoor food service goes on, and you can read about it on its own page.
How can I help with a future emergency?
Join the volunteer list. If an emergency comes, we will call you.
Do you give medical help?
We do not give medical treatment ourselves. Our camps and blood drives involve doctors and nurses, and we help people to reach a hospital.
Did volunteers get sick?
We took precautions and asked anyone who felt unwell to stay at home. We do not publish health details of volunteers.
Can I see more photographs?
The gallery has a selection. For a particular day, write to us and ask.
Be ready for the next emergency
Join our volunteer list now so that we can call you when help is needed fast.
Write to us
Ask about covid lockdown relief
Tell us what you would like to know or do about covid lockdown relief. A volunteer will call you back.
- +91 97036 30893 (call and PhonePe)
- +91 82972 92602 (second number)
- hnpcharitabletrust@gmail.com
- NPS Nilayam, Road No. 2, Gajuwaka S.O., Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh 530026
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