While the Covid-19 outbreak has left people speechless and in a state of constant panic, a group of Hindu organisations in US have started helplines for the stranded Indian students. This has been launched exclusively for the Indian students who have been having issues during this time of crisis, living in a different country.
This is to help those Indian students in need who have been left without any accommodation in United States.
Termed as the “Covid-19 Student Support Network”, the helpline is a joint effort from Hindu Yuva, Bharatiya, Vivekananda House and Sewa International, all of which have been working to help all the students during this time of crisis. The helpline number is 802-750-YUVA(9882).
The entire process is run by 90 students from across the country, who have volunteered to help the students who are in need during this time of crisis. This helpline has been developed to help the students who are in distress during these times by providing them with the essential supplies of groceries, medicines and even providing them with accommodation if they don’t have that.
The helpline as has collaborated with experts and professionals who are there to provide counselling to the Indian students on the immigration related issues and provide them with all the necessary resources that they need to keep themselves informed. They will also be provide with assistance for keeping their mental health in check.
Gaurav Singhal, one of the organisers who is from New Jersey, said that the support network will organise webinars, to help filter out any kind of chaotic and misinformation that could create panic among the minds of the people. They are also going to host webinars on a number of topics including immigration, finances and even health.
Over 250,000 Indian students are enrolled in American Universities for their study and almost all of them have shut down because of the Covid-19 outbreak. The students have also been asked to vacate the hostels. Some of the Universities have made special provisions for providing accommodation for the international students but majority of them haven’t.
Several of the hotel and motel owners along with several of the Indian communities in the US have since then come forward to lend a helping hand to these distressed students. They are working around to help provide with temporary housing to these stranded students.
While few of the Indian students have been able to fly back to India, there are a number of students who have been left behind. The helpline was thus started as a motive for community help to help as many Indian students as possible.
In the meantime, a number of US Universities have also started emergency funds for the students and set up several Covid-19 funds to provide them with urgent financial assistance. Some of the Universities are even conducting virtual counselling sessions to ensure that the students’ mental and psychological well being are in check.
There have been a number of reported instances where the students have run out of their money. In such cases, the Covid-19 Student Support Network has come forward to help those students.
United States has already reported over 750,000 confirmed cases with over 42,000 deaths.
