India's COVID situation: How to help

News of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on India has become increasingly desperate in recent weeks, and in the past seven days, the country has seen more cases of coronavirus than anywhere else in the world. People are dying in their thousands while waiting for beds, oxygen, and other vital supplies that the country needs to fight the pandemic.

With such harrowing scenes and stories emerging from the world's second-most populous country, many people want to know how they can help. Here are some ways to make a difference. 

Donations towards the efforts in India are probably the best way to make an impact on the situation. The Hemkunt Foundation, which provides humanitarian aid based on the Sikh principle of "Sarbat Da Bhalla", have been helping out with the purchase of urgently-needed oxygen cylinders. The same is true of Zomato Feeding India, a not-for-profit organisation designing interventions to reduce hunger among under-served communities in India, which is providing hospitals with free oxygen-related supplies. 

Meanwhile, Feeding From Far, a project that distributes ration kits and food to the most disadvantaged during the pandemic, have been handing out food to the impoverished and unemployed in the country, who are being severely impacted by the virus. If providing food to those in need appeals, then you can also consider a donation to the Enrich Lives Foundation, which is providing food kits and prepared meals.

The charity Goonj is currently providing essentials including food and hygiene products with the aim of maintaining dignity for workers struggling in India's more remote villages. 

When a global issue isn't impacting our own country, it can be easy to turn a blind eye. But with many of the core components of the vaccines that we receive in this country having come from India, the country has played a huge role in vaccinating the British public.

One way you can help the situation is to use your voice and platforms to call attention to the cause, and also to put pressure on your local MPs to encourage the government to lend India as much support as possible. You can find details of your local politician, and learn how best to contact them through the site They Work For You. 

You can also use your social media profiles to amplify the cause, and to encourage your followers to join you in any petitioning or fundraising activities. 

Read more: Expert advice on COVID vaccines

Read more: How COVID-19 is changing the process of grief

Keep up with the top stories from Reader's Digest by subscribing to our weekly newsletter