India has been reporting the highest numbers of daily Covid 19 cases in the world for the last several weeks. Infection may continue to rise further over the next months before reaching a peak.

Following the strictest lockdown from March-end to May, India has been unlocking itself on the principle that « we need to learn to live with Covid-19 ». Now, with Unlock-4 (June to September), every where people are free to move. The only restricted areas are containment zones where the epidemy is prevalent.

Along with the Covid-19 pandemic, the country is also battling a financial pandemic. India's GDP has crashed at the worst rate in several decades. Unemployment is high, inflation has shot up, private investment is negligible, and the government doesn't have enough money to spend.

Though the resumption of some economic activity has helped part of the informal workers to get back to work, some 19 million salaried formal economy jobs have been lost after the lockdown.

An estimated 4 million Indians below the age of 30 have lost their jobs due to the pandemic, the worst hit are those below 30. The next batch of job seekers graduate in 2021, they will join the army of unemployed. Another category are women, 4 women out of 10 are estimated to have lost their jobs.

Life is difficult for the students who graduated from our school

Many of our ITI graduates (from St-Anthony's School Dugawar) who have been working in the cities have lost their jobs and are back home. Though they are trying to find jobs elsewhere, it is very difficult at the moment.

The self help groups try to find new profitable activities

Many activities of our SHG women (self help groups) suffered during the lock down. The milk collection centers they set up one year ago were running well. With the lockdown, the demand for milk came down and they had to stop their business. This sudden shutting down caused them a big loss. We are now helping the groups to regain the confidence and to get back to some profitable activities during the pandemic.