DRP COVID-19 Response: A campaign by Footsteps to help Bangladesh breathe

Footstep Bangladesh, a renowned next-generation organisation, is extensively working to address the COVID-19 crisis in southwestern and northern bordering districts of Bangladesh under their DRP (Disaster Resilience Program) COVID-19 Response. They are mobilising oxygen cylinders and concentrators for the struggling COVID patients as well as providing food aid support to families socio-economically affected by the pandemic.

In the wake of the worldwide pandemic's devastation, Footsteps Bangladesh initiated a collection of oxygen cylinders to help the people who don't have the access to any oxygen cylinder. The mission of this campaign is to offer oxygen cylinders as well as survival kits to individuals and families suffering from COVID-19 on Bangladesh's southern and northern borders.

"I remember just a few days ago I was having a conversation with a close friend who expressed the desperate need for oxygen cylinders in Tala Satkhira. Just a couple of days before that, we came across the news how 4 people died in 15 minutes just because they didn't have access to an oxygen cylinder. Being a development enterprise, we knew we had to step forward, and fast," shared Footsteps Bangladesh Co-Founder and President Shah Rafayat Chowdhury.

The aim of the campaign, initiated on June 3, was to raise funds in order to deploy 100 oxygen cylinders. In the fundraising effort, companies such as Robi, BURO Bangladesh, United Group, Lalteer Seeds Ltd, as well as hundreds of donors, joined in to ensure the campaign was able to reach its target. The campaign has raised funds for a total of 113 oxygen cylinders in two weeks of its operation.

A total of 45 oxygen cylinders have been deployed to cover all Upazilas in Satkhira, whereas another 40 cylinders and one oxygen concentrator have been deployed in the Northern districts of Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Kurigram and Thakurgaon. And a total of 28 more oxygen cylinders will be deployed between Jessore and Kushtia in the upcoming days. Footsteps is working with local partners such as Uttaran, its Humanity Foundation and its own local teams to provide critical oxygen support for COVID patients in the mentioned districts.

Apart from ‘Project DRP: Covid-19 Response,’ Footsteps is always working on numerous campaigns and initiatives throughout the year to empower marginalised communities and build a nation where every individual can lead a peaceful and prosperous life. It is safe to conclude that if one follows in the positive and inspiring footsteps of true changemakers, one can make Bangladesh a lot better place for future generations.