COVID-19  Orphans: An appeal to support Children whose one or both parents died due to Covid-19

 
The COVID-19 crisis has a potentially long term and far-reaching negative impact on children. . As of May 15th 2021 , the number of deaths is 2.66 lakhs  and that will inevitably leave more than 1 lakhs children without one or both parents in India. Second wave of Covid has resulted into increase in these numbers. 

I am a grade 11 student and sending this petition based on my personal experience. I live in Kandivali, Mumbai and two of my friends have lost their father due to COVID-19. The virus has taken away their biggest moral and only financial support of many families. I am sure the impact will be higher in the less privileged part of society.  I would like to appeal for special attention and support to these children.  Here’s my suggestion to help children orphaned during  COVID-19 :
1.     Prepare a registry of COVID-19 Orphaned kids (i.e. whose one or both parents died due to COVID-19) along with COVID-19 death
2.     Foster care and adoption support if both parents have died due to COVID-19.
3.     Special scholarship and/or Free education support till graduation or skill-building support 
4.     Encourage corporates to create a fund to support Children of their employee died due to COVID-19
5.     Add Supporting COVID-19 Orphaned children’s education/ scholarship as a permitted activity under the CSR Policy activities list ( Schedule VII) to help give it further impetus.
Please help by signing this petition and spread the word with the right decision-makers.
Many thanks,
Arhan Vyas  ( 11th Grade Student, Mumbai )

Process of arriving the number of Impacted children:
1.     The number of deaths (as of November 30, 2020) is 1,37,177.
2.     Health secretary Rajesh Bhushan said that 45% of the people who died are in the age range of 26-60. That’s the age an average person in India has dependent kids.  So, 45% of the total number of deaths is 65,311.  Further, reduce the number by 50% to 32,665 for conservative assumption kids below 18 years.
3.     Assuming 2 kids per person ( that’s below India’s average fertility rate). Approximately 65,311 children affected with one / both parents’ death.

Update : Madhya Pradesh becomes the first state to recognize the need to support Orphaned children during Covid-19  on May 13th 2021 & Six more states have announced their policy. Please continue your support for similar or better policy by more states and/or central government & support from Corporate India.  

( Image Credit: Telegraph India )