Porikolpona Foundation’s commendable steps to combat COVID-19
The five co-founders of Porikolpona Foundation formed their non-profit organisation once the nationwide shutdown began. They were determined to educate disadvantaged communities about COVID-19. Some of the members are studying abroad, whilst two of them are students of IUT and through their reach, they were able to accumulate more than sufficient funds to work towards their goals.
They began their work by educating daily labourers and rickshaw pullers about the virus, alongside distributing around 500 masks. They reached out to around 1,000 people. They also provided food to around 400 people, especially to families of four, who were not able to afford meals three times a day. During Ramadan, they organised the campaign, 'Project Hashimukh', in which they fed the elderly at old age homes. They also allocated Eid packages to Dhaka and Barisal, besides providing iftar to over 600 people. They collaborated with BANDHU, Project Pothchola, Project Konna, Give Bangladesh, Madchef and Shunte Ki Pao to provide iftar to 100 people in one day.
Moreover, the organisation's campaign, 'Amphan Response Project' to provide food for around 60 families in the flood afflicted region of Satkhira. For their 'Project Niramoy' they collaborated with Docterio, a telemedicine-based startup, to connect professional doctors with patients online, free of cost. The patients could ask to communicate with doctors regarding any disease. Their 'Eid For All Campaign' enabled them to contact generous donors, one of whom provided them a cow for slaughter. They distributed food to around 100 families and 400 individuals prior to Eid-Ul-Azha.
According to co-founder Farhan Faiyaz, they have around 30 volunteers who are called Porikolpona Foundation Changemakers. They focus on helping people in the respective areas they live in. Due to the pandemic, only the co-founders who are in the city, move around for the longer commutes. While working, they make sure to remain sanitised and wear masks.
Since the start of their venture from the end of March 2020, Porikolpona Foundation accumulated over BDT 500, 000 to help feed around 5000 people, for at least a week. In the future, they hope to attain a sustainable position so as to be able to rely less on donations and more on their capability to provide for their own causes.