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Twitter has donated $15 million (Rs 110.22 crore) to help address the COVID-19 crisis in India as it battles the unprecedented second wave of the pandemic. ON MONDAY, Twitter CEO Jack Patrick Dorsey tweeted that the amount has been donated to three non-governmental organizations – Care, Aid India, and Sewa International USA. While CARE has been given USD 10 million, Aid India and Sewa International USA have received USD 2.5 million each.
Meanwhile, Twitterati cried foul at the donations made to Sewa International USA.
“Sewa International is a Hindu faith-based, humanitarian, non-profit service organization. This grant will support the procurement of life-saving equipment such as oxygen concentrators, ventilators, BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure), and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machines as part of Sewa International’s ‘Help India Defeat Covid-19’ campaign,” Twitter said in a statement.
“Equipment will be distributed to government hospitals and Covid-19 care centers and hospitals,” it said.
“We are a volunteer-driven non-profit organization, and we believe in serving all, following the sacred Hindu benediction, ‘Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah’ – ‘May all be happy. Our administrative costs are about five percent, meaning that every dollar a donor offers, we spend 95 cents of it on the work it is earmarked for. In these past two weeks, we have seen how overwhelmed India’s healthcare system is, and we want to do as much as we can to come to the aid of deeply affected people. Twitter’s generosity will go a long way in helping us do the work we want to do and that we need to do’,” Khadkekar told PTI. Reacting to the announcement, Sewa International’s Vice-President for Marketing and Fund Development Sandeep Khadkekar thanked Dorsey for his generous donation, saying it was gratifying that Sewa’s work has been recognized.
With this, Houston-headquartered Sewa USA has so far raised $17.5 million towards its India Covid-19 relief efforts.
CARE is a leading humanitarian organization fighting global poverty. Twitter said the grant of $10 million would support CARE’s urgent action to help address the deadly second wave of Covid-19 infections devastating India. “Funds will be used to supplement government efforts by setting up temporary Covid-19 care centers; providing oxygen, PPE kits, and other critically needed emergency supplies for frontline health workers; and addressing vaccine hesitancy and helping ensure that people get vaccinated, particularly in remote, marginalized communities in India,” it said.
Association for India’s Development (AID) is a volunteer movement promoting sustainable, equitable, and just development. AID partners with grassroots organizations in India on interconnected areas of education, health, agriculture, livelihoods, environment, and human rights, Twitter said.
“This grant will help under-resourced communities identify Covid symptoms, prevent spread, access care and treatment, benefit from medical equipment including oxygen, oximeters, thermometers, protective gear, and vaccination, survive lockdowns, regain livelihoods, and will strengthen hospitals and NGOs that serve rural and low-income communities,” Twitter added.
