Greenwood High student and founder of Ration Square, Anvi Mittal, and her friends recently gathered funds and collected over Rs 3 lakh within few days to help patients in their treatment of Covid-19, ensure medications and oxygen supplies for them.

The funds were raised from the Greenwood High parent community, friends and well-wishers. Ration Square, which has 30 members, is a student-run initiative that helps people in need.

The students shortlisted an NGO, Mercy Mission, to undertake the purchase and distribution of Covid-related medical supplies and treatment of patients at its HBS Hospital in Shivajinagar. Apart from procuring oxygen, Mercy Mission utilized the funds to expand its network of ambulances to transport patients to its hospital from any part of the city. 

Speaking about the initiative, Anvi Mittal, said: “Ration Square was successful last year in raising more than Rs 5 lakhs and distributing ration amongst the migrant labourers and daily wage workers during the pandemic. A big chunk of that was possible only due to Greenwood High and its parent community. The second surge of Covid required an immediate response from Ration Square and that’s why we raised funds this time too for this 100 per cent not-for-profit campaign. We have disclosed the use of proceeds in a transparency report that has been sent to all contributors.”

Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School, said: “Ration Square has undertaken a much-needed initiative to help Covid patients. A situation like Covid can be handled well by a collective response from a society that is effective and solution-oriented. In this context, I thank Anvi, her friends and classmates for their kind gesture and for taking up such noble work. I hope more students would come forward to help Anvi and her team in the future.”

Apart from this, two Class 10 students of Greenwood High International School Sneha Raghavan and Shloka Ashok raised over Rs 2 lakh in 24 hours to donate 300 pulse oximeters to underprivileged sections.

They will donate the oximeters to a Bengaluru-based NGO. The oximeters will be distributed to slum-dwellers in Bengaluru and rural women in Koppal in North Karnataka.

The duo designed posters and created a fundraiser page on the GiveIndia website for the project. They also reached out to various oximeter manufacturers to get a better deal. “I spoke to at least five manufacturers, but because of the shortage, some demanded high prices. We had set a goal to raise Rs 2 lakh, but we exceeded it by Rs 14,000. We increased the number of oximeters to 300,” Shloka said.

A social worker, Anupama Parekh, approached them a week ago to know if they were interested in raising funds for a social project and suggested oximeters for early diagnosis, she said. Their crowdfunding campaign got a big response in less than two days, she added. “We had never thought our initiative would get such immense support and response. We are extremely grateful to all the donors. This has encouraged me to take up more such social initiatives,” said Sneha.

“As our board exams are cancelled, we have more time for social initiatives. Now, I am making posters to spread awareness on the pandemic and vaccination, because that is of prime importance,” said Shloka, adding that the two will work with Anupama Parekh on more Covid initiatives. Niru Agarwal, Trustee, Greenwood High International School, said the school would encourage more students to undertake such initiatives in these testing times.

Also Read: Two Bengaluru school students distribute oximeters to the needy