There’s a lot you and I can do sitting at home.

I keep hearing all around that Covid19 is the great leveller. That it does not discriminate between privileged and underprivileged and brings both down, equally ruthlessly. People also point to the havoc Covid19 is wrecking in the developed West and its relative absence in underdeveloped Africa, to prove the point.

We expect epidemics and pandemics to impact the poor in the poorer nations. And just the fact that Covid19 has affected developed nations is leading to the invention of new narratives.

The fact is that Covid19, much like every other scenario, distinguishes between the privileged and the underprivileged. To me, those of us who can work from the relative safety of home are the privileged of today. The underprivileged fall into two clusters. The ones whose work cannot be brought home, who therefore risk loss of income. And the ones whose work puts them out in the eye of the storm – people like healthcare workers and the police.

For daily wage earners, the longer the lockdown, the greater the challenge. The centre and state governments in India are trying their best. But the fact is that much of this sector is unorganised. And the government has no way to reach out to them.

I will be delighted if one of the lessons we learn from this disaster is that we need to have everyone in the country registered under some association or the other so that they can be supported in times like these.

When I see the police in Bangalore engaged in street plays and the like to spread Covid19 messages, my heart goes out to them. The police department has its hands full, even otherwise. To add to that they have to stay outdoors (that carries multiple risks) to ensure idiots stay indoors. The condition of healthcare workers is not too different.

I count the families of the police force and healthcare workers among the underprivileged as well, as they have to live with the fear of their family members being at the forefront of the Covid19 fight.

This is what led us to start Thoda Bahut, to enable local giving for local and immediate intervention. Thoda Bahut is a community initiative running as an open platform that any community can employ to address their local and immediate needs. Being based in Bengaluru made it possible for us to create Bengaluru-based beneficiary-supplier chains that are effective from Day 1.

The effort in our community is to support two clusters. The first is auto-drivers who are daily wage earners and hence, impacted by the lockdown – we intend to support their families with a little fund for 3 months. The second is healthcare professionals and police who we intend to supply with face shields.

Do take a look at thodabahut.org There’s a lot you and I can do sitting at home.