Donate to aid the drought-struck residents of parched Marathwada

Owing to the ongoing drought in Marathwada, over 90% of the people of the area are surviving without sufficient potable drinking water, food and livelihood. The recurring drought since 2013 has now left the soil unfit for cultivation. Consistently deficient rainfall has ensured the repeated failure of crops and lowering of ground water. People are desperate and the time to help them is now.

ActionAid India, an anti-poverty agency established in 1972 working across the country for the rights of the marginalised will be intervening in the Latur and Beed areas of the region. They are raising funds on the crowdfunding site, Ketto to provide temporary relief to the people. In association with grassroots level organisations, the money will be used to make arrangements for potable water, organising a community kitchen and creating temporary storage spaces for rainwater.

Money will also be used to provide daily wages to the villagers. “The NREGA does promise daily wages for daily work. But that seldom happens. People work but they do not get any money. They go broke. We will be giving them money to ensure immediate relief,” says Nirja Bhatnagar, ActionAid's Regional Head for Maharashtra.

ActionAid also has plans to implement long-term relief measures like making permanent water storage structures and carry out water harvesting. But providing relief till monsoon arrives is priority.

To help similar causes, log on to Ketto - a platform to raise funds for social, personal and creative causes.