Just don’t relax too soon!
All over the world, it looks as if people are slowly getting used to the new ‘normal’. News of new infections and deaths have become one ingredient of our everyday life.
In India, regions are divided into colors. Red means alarm, infections are still the order of the day, orange, there has not been a new Covid-19 case in recent days and green means, all good.
The state of Kerala is known for its caution in times of crisis. Therefore, there is no green area in the whole of Kerala. Trivandrum belongs to the orange zone. This means strict curfew in the evening, limited freedom of movement throughout the day, no possibility of travel between the districts. So, although the lockdown is slowly easing, it is not yet clear what can be done and what not, so it is best that you stay at home and wait.
Our home is the kanthari campus with its associated staff quarters that are located in the immediate vicinity of the campus. We eat and work together with our team, consisting of administration and catalysts (this is how we call the trainers).
Since the end of March, however, we have hardly seen anyone from outside. And yet we feel like we are in close contact with many more people than usual. The blogs about kantharis and their activities as well as the reactions on the posts from around the globe, have shown us that we are still very much connected. Everyone agrees; nothing goes according to plan. And moving forward, we all need to rethink.
We had to postpone the 12th kanthari course, which should have started in May. A new starting date is currently unknown. Meanwhile we are in touch with the already selected candidates, who are impatiently waiting to get a green light so they can book their ticket and travel to Kerala. We too are waiting for a sign from the Indian Government. And everywhere there is a significant question, when will the borders be opened again?
We are keeping busy though, working on an online kanthari guidebook. It is a practical manual on “Changing the World…”. In 100 chapters with more than 1000 sub-chapters, all interesting facts about the start and running an NGO are presented based on case studies, mistakes, failures, and success stories, with tailor made illustrations and audio documentation.
In addition, we continue to work on our blog, but to a somewhat reduced extent. Tomorrow there will be the last daily blog. This one will be about the Covid19 emergency response work that kantharis in different parts of the world have been and are working on. This was made possible through the kanthari Emergency Fund and by the generous donations of the readers of the blog.
For those who have supported we say THANK YOU very much!
However, emergency aid will have to continue, because in many countries, the main challenges are yet to come. Unemployment, hunger and, especially in the slums, the number of infections is increasing rapidly. Meteorologists are also predicting heavy rainfall that could cause floods in different parts of the South Asian region.
And while I sit in my favorite writing place on the balcony of the auditorium, the skies are speaking to us in the form of rumbling thunder. I can hear the breaking waves of the Arabian Sea that are whipped by the pre-monsoon. And as a side effect of the Cyclone Amphan that is currently moving up the coast of the Gulf of Bengal, heavy rains in the past few days have risen the water level of lake Vellayani significantly.
The more frequent power cuts, lightning, and stormy weather feel like signs of caution: It is not all over yet! We should not relax too soon!