TISI Sangam Secretary-General Damend Goundar says as about 130,000 families around the country are expected to be severely affected from the COVID-19 pandemic through loss of jobs, Leave Without Pay or reduced hours, they have started to work on ensuring that they assist as many people as they can.
Goundar says TISI Sangam Foundation is already in discussion to provide free lunches for all students in their 27 primary and secondary schools in the country when school resumes on June 15th. They have a total of about 8,000 students attending the Sangam run schools.
He says there is no time to waste, and as a religious organisation that is able to assist, TISI Sangam is already rolling out with the initiatives.
Goundar says there is no end in sight for now however it is time to take action to assist fellow affected citizens.
He says many people are in dire need of assistance, and it is not just the 38,000 plus workers in the hotel and tourism sector who do not have any work.
Goundar also says that they have also contacted FRIEND in Lautoka to assist them by providing some land for growing vegetables and root crops to provide for the severely affected families. He says discussions are underway.
Goundar also says that they have started providing lunches 3 days a week to the medical staff who are looking after quarantined patients at Nadi Hospital.
