Participants:
Series Code: CII
Program Code: CII052021S
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00:02 Child Impact International
00:03 is an organization that gives hope 00:06 and fosters permanent, positive change 00:08 in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:10 and their communities. 00:13 Countries include Zambia, 00:15 India, Nepal, Bangladesh, 00:17 Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. 00:20 Child Impact's investment 00:21 in the lives of more than 3,500 children 00:24 continues to yield infinite returns. 00:27 Outreach spans from child rescue operations 00:30 to providing an education and a home 00:32 for deaf and blind children and orphans. 00:35 Above all, Child Impact's sponsors 00:38 give hope to the ones who need it the most. 00:47 Hi, I'm Jim Rennie, 00:49 CEO of Child Impact International. 00:52 And I just want to talk to you about India. 00:55 And as you know, 00:57 and as you've seen on the news, 00:58 the pandemic is going through huge proportions 01:02 beyond the capabilities of the country to cope with. 01:07 Hospitals are full, 01:08 people are sitting on the streets 01:10 outside hospitals. 01:12 There's is no oxygen. 01:14 And to be honest, it's very, very serious 01:17 and a huge disaster. 01:19 And it's only getting worse. 01:22 I just wanna talk for a minute about the... 01:26 our sponsorship program in India. 01:29 Obviously with the schools being closed, 01:32 some are just started to open 01:33 when this wave of the pandemic hit again. 01:37 So the schools are closed 01:40 and for our sponsors 01:41 who are contributing to children, 01:44 this puts us in a dilemma. 01:46 Well, we are continuing to pay the schools, 01:50 the sponsorship money for the very reason 01:54 that they don't have the bulk of their income 01:57 and the teachers are not being paid. 02:00 And these schools are being 02:01 put in a very vulnerable financial position. 02:05 So we want to support the teachers 02:08 as best as we can, 02:10 and we are distributing rice to them, 02:13 but we also want to ensure that the schools are opened. 02:17 So we believe our ongoing support 02:20 has an important role 02:22 in keeping the Adventist mission schools open. 02:25 As you know, 02:27 we operate in this emergency 02:29 our Rice, Health and Education Appeal. 02:33 And we're getting many requests more over India 02:36 for help to these hospitals and medical clinics. 02:41 And it's simply overcoming a lot of business 02:44 that we would normally have. 02:46 However, we have received a special request 02:50 through Anita Kanaiya, 02:52 who is our director of our Rescue team 02:57 in Bangalore, India. 02:59 And so we want to interview Anita 03:02 and consider the help that we could give. 03:07 I'm interviewing Anita Kanaiya, 03:10 who's our director of our Rescue Operation 03:15 in Bangalore, India. 03:17 But right now 03:19 India is facing a pandemic crisis. 03:24 And I know you've all seen the pictures on television 03:29 and it's actually unbelievable. 03:32 So we just want to briefly talk to Anita 03:35 and find out what's going on the ground 03:38 because Child Impact and its supporters 03:41 have been asked to step in and just help in a small way 03:47 to save some lives in the city of Bangalore. 03:51 So, Anita, it's great to see you. 03:56 Thank you, Jim. 03:58 Thank you for the concern that you have for India 04:01 and thank you for this invitation 04:04 to be on this call. 04:07 So just give us a short overview 04:11 of the situation. 04:13 Is it really as bad as we're being told? 04:18 Yes, it is. 04:19 And it's probably worse than you are being told. 04:23 The country is reeling under the second wave 04:28 of COVID infection that has, 04:31 you know, gone beyond anybody's expectations, 04:34 medical facilities and doctors especially. 04:38 Just the sheer numbers that are present in India. 04:41 And this virus that has become so vigilant 04:47 and is easily jumping from person to person. 04:50 We have just about every family who's either been affected, 04:56 lost somebody, or is battling with friends 05:00 who are really serious. 05:02 So this is just across India. 05:04 There's no particular place that is really able to say 05:09 that we're safe. 05:11 There are particular states and cities in India 05:15 which are very bad. 05:17 There are some others who are all right, 05:19 but Bengaluru or Bangalore 05:23 where we are located 05:25 is particularly very, very bad. 05:29 And just tell me about the impact on the people 05:33 that are in the poverty situation, 05:35 the people that 05:37 we would normally be helping with food, the poor, 05:41 what impact, 05:42 just tell me some of the effects 05:45 that it's having on the poor? 05:48 For instance, you told me about the orphans yesterday? 05:52 So, Jim, what happened, 05:55 and I have been added to a government group 05:58 of, you know, people who run homes, 06:01 who are experts with children basically to discuss 06:05 how do we look after children who have either been orphaned 06:10 because both parents have succumbed to COVID 06:12 or who are left alone at home without parents, 06:16 because both parents are in hospital. 06:19 There have been so many kids. 06:20 I mean, names, there are people who have brought children 06:24 who are COVID positive 06:26 and have left them in public places. 06:29 You know, so someone will care for them 06:30 because there's no one to look after them, 06:32 neighbors are scared. 06:34 You know, people don't want to do that, 06:35 but by God's grace, I think 06:38 people have come forward. 06:39 Families have come forward, institutions have ramped up, 06:43 childcare institutions have ramped up 06:45 to look after children, 06:46 but we're talking about large numbers, 06:49 large numbers of children 06:51 because this particular wave has hit the younger people. 06:55 So between those in their 40s and their 30s 07:00 have actually succumbed to the disease very fast 07:04 and have left very young children homeless. 07:07 Right. That's just amazing. So let's... 07:10 We don't have much time, 07:11 so let's just talk about the... 07:14 So you've been put on this group, 07:18 a Christian group of those involved 07:21 and also involving the government. 07:23 So tell us about the requests 07:26 that we received from the Baptist Hospital? 07:30 So I'm part of a group of Christians 07:35 who are looking to see how we can respond to this, 07:38 you know, COVID crisis, 07:39 whether it is to help with oxygen 07:43 or to help with actual admissions, 07:45 because there are no beds. 07:47 And we get about 200 phone calls a day. 07:50 We've got volunteers working round the clock to try 07:53 and access beds in hospitals for the very serious. 07:58 We started food distribution about three weeks ago 08:02 for those who've been home quarantined. 08:03 But there are lots of elderly people, 08:08 you know, husbands and wives, whose children are abroad, 08:10 who've got COVID 08:12 and they just don't have any help. 08:13 So we've... 08:15 We're supplying food to more than 210 families 08:19 of say four or six 08:22 who are just shut off from the outside world. 08:25 What this disease does, is it isolates you, 08:28 you know people don't wanna come, 08:30 you are forced to be in a home quarantined, 08:32 you can't get access to food. 08:33 So that's one of the responses we have been, 08:36 you know, doing over the last three weeks, 08:38 but the medical response. 08:41 Baptist Hospital is one of the premium mission, 08:44 Christian mission hospitals in Bangalore. 08:46 And a lot of us actually access our medical care from there. 08:50 And though that hospital has been, 08:53 you know, completely flooded with requests 08:55 that have turned away ambulances 08:57 with very serious people because they don't have beds. 09:00 So one of the requests that came from them was 09:03 if we could help them with the ventilator, 09:06 they could increase the capacity of beds 09:09 to look after some very serious people. 09:11 The other requests are from another mission hospital 09:14 called the Marthoma Mission Hospital 09:17 which has just ramped up an entire floor of beds, 09:20 and they needed some medical equipment 09:22 to help them to deal with these cases. 09:24 We ourselves have actually sent pastors 09:28 and Christian people as referrals to these, 09:32 both these hospitals, and they have recovered. 09:34 So we are really looking to see 09:37 how we can help them in this time of need 09:39 to ramp up their medical facility, 09:42 to be able to treat more people, 09:44 especially Christian people, 09:45 Christians who are struggling and the poor. 09:48 Well, we're very excited that tonight 09:50 we are sending you the money for the ventilator 09:54 and the supportive equipment. 09:56 Just very quickly, can you assure us 09:59 that the money will get to the right people 10:02 and that the ventilator will get to the hospital? 10:06 So, let me assure you that this is us, 10:11 that is me in this group. 10:13 I have known these, it's a group of doctors, 10:17 medical suppliers, 10:18 I'm in direct contact 10:20 with the medical supplier of the equipment. 10:23 In fact, this morning I spoke to him 10:25 and he reassured me that he has supplies 10:28 because people are running out of supplies 10:31 at this time. 10:32 So, yes, I am in direct contact, Jim. 10:34 The money will be paid directly to the vendor 10:38 and we have already gotten to an agreement 10:41 of how the payment will go through 10:43 and how the machines will be delivered. 10:45 I am in touch with the Baptist Hospital. 10:48 We have got letters from them 10:51 and which we will send on to you 10:53 where they have assured us that 10:54 these equipments will be used immediately, 10:57 put to use immediately. 10:59 So please rest assured 11:01 that this money that you are raising, 11:03 thank you so much for it 11:05 at this time of need 11:06 will go towards the equipment directly to the vendor 11:11 and to the hospital. 11:12 And I will personally make sure that 11:15 we actually have evidence 11:17 that the machines have reached and they are in use 11:20 and that we can send also, please rest assured 11:23 that we are following up as closely as possible 11:27 to ensure that the machines are reaching 11:30 exactly where they need to be to help people. 11:34 Anita, that's just amazing. 11:36 And we are so excited that we can support. 11:40 And I know that the people are watching this 11:43 who support Child Impact International, 11:46 and have effect in supported Operation Child Rescue, 11:51 because Anita is responsible for the rescues in Bangalore. 11:56 And also the anxiety home 11:59 that I know many of you have supported. 12:03 This emergency is overwhelming. 12:06 This emergency is beyond comprehension. 12:09 And I would just ask that if you wish to contribute 12:13 to this emergency, 12:15 please go to the child website 12:17 and we're putting it through the Food, Health 12:20 and the Education Emergency Appeal, 12:22 and you'll be able to see it on our website. 12:25 Anita, we appreciate what you're doing. 12:28 And our prayers are with you in the work that you do. 12:32 And we're very proud and excited 12:35 that we can assist you on the ground 12:38 in Bangalore, India. 12:39 Child Impact is proud of the work 12:42 that you and your team do. 12:44 Thank you. 12:45 Thank you very much, Jim. 12:46 And thank you to all the donors and supporters 12:48 who, you know, who have a heart for India. 12:51 And thank you for just meeting our need 12:54 at this very critical time. 12:56 Thank you so much. 13:00 Well, you've heard from Anita, 13:03 the situation on the ground at Bangalore. 13:06 And, in fact, it's the same all over India. 13:09 And I guess it's a little hard for us to comprehend, 13:12 but we've seen it on the news. 13:15 And as we receive this special requests 13:18 from our Christian brothers, 13:21 we believe that we need to help. 13:23 And as you know, we operate the Rice, Health 13:27 and Education Appeal. 13:29 And so for this month any funds could come in. 13:32 We're going to allocate to help 13:34 these Christian doctors in hospitals 13:37 with oxygen equipment or beds 13:40 or anything they originally need. 13:43 You know, I really appreciate the generosity 13:46 you've shown already for this appeal. 13:49 And I guess we're not normally in the emergency field, 13:54 but we just have a responsibility to help. 13:57 And I know you want to help. 13:59 And so I just ask you to consider supporting 14:02 the Child Impact, Rice, Health and Education Appeal. 14:07 You can go to our website, childimpact.org 14:11 and you'll see 14:12 the Rice, Health and Education Appeal 14:15 featured there. 14:17 And I would just wanna thank you 14:18 for the support you're given 14:20 and the support you will give 14:23 as we look at this tragic situation in India. |
Revised 2023-01-17