Volunteering and service are more important during a crisis than ever. Education and Skills Development sector stakeholders can also work together as a helper in time of crises. India has more than 13000+ ITIs, 4000+ Engineering Colleges, 2100+ Polytechnics, 500+ Universities with technical courses, Around 50 MSME Training Centers with very big welding labs. Oxygen Cylinders are used for teaching Gas Welding in many of these institutions and also for other labs. Thousands of Cylinders (Filled / Semi Filled / Empty) can be borrowed from them for Community Service.
Beside this, we have 38000+ Colleges, 1 Lakh+ Senior Secondary Schools etc. Atleast 30-40 percent have Chemistry Lab where chemicals are present which can help us to create for oxygen production techniques which may create High Oxygen Zones.
Here are 8 ideas “How Institutions can help community in time of pandemic crisis”?
1. Sharing the Oxygen Cylinders (if any) used in labs and workshops
2. Motivating Students to volunteer their services (keeping precautions in mind)
3. Encouraging students and teachers to recap their learning and find means of Oxygen production such as through least dangerous chemical reactions etc.
4. Converting Canteens / Cafeterias into Community Kitchens providing subsidized meals
5. Offering School / College / University transport for emergency transit (take permissions from DC)
6. Offering lawns / open spaces for quarantine or attendants for institutions near by hospitals
7. Starting Crowd Funding drives to support organizations run by Students only
8. Starting Crowd Sourcing drives to gather Food Supply, Medicines, Waste Furniture (to keep on roads beside hospitals) etc.
There are various other resources at our institutions which are required at Healthcare Institutions or other support system. We all should figure out the ways which can help society as best as possible. Let’s all do our part to contribute, so that when this crisis is over, we’re proud of how we came together to Do Something Good, Something Great.
If something else flashes in your mind which can help countrymen, please share that in comment with us on LINKEDIN or FACEBOOK . We will include that suggestion in this post.