Omidyar Network India Announces $1 Million Funding To Tackle Covid-19
Omidyar Network India has invited proposals to support vendors, daily wage and gig-economy workers impacted by the coronavirus.
Global impact-investing firm Omidyar Network will invest $1 million as rapid response funding to fight the coronavirus in India.
The firm has invited proposals that support the lower 60 percent of India's income distribution in managing and mitigating challenges that come with Covid-19, according to a statement by Omidyar Network India Advisors Pvt. Ltd.
According to latest government data, India has nearly 500 coronavirus cases while 10 others have succumbed to the disease.
"We recognise that the slowdown will most impact the vulnerable sections of our population and large swathes of India's ‘next half billion', whom we seek to serve—the vendors, daily wage earners, the gig-economy workers, and small businesses.
"We are therefore announcing a rapid response window to fund proposals that support the lower 60 percent of India's income distribution in managing and mitigating the challenges that come with Covid-19," the statement said.
Omidyar Network India invited proposals ranging from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 2 crore focused on strengthening containment, detection and treatment of the virus, and also supporting crisis management capabilities.
Initiatives that will be considered include data, apps and other technological solutions; community outreach and mobilisation campaigns; proposals that seek to improve economic resilience of NHB workers and small businesses whose livelihoods are impacted due to coronavirus pandemic, among other areas.
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Non-governmental organisations, research organisations, social entrepreneurs, and for-profit businesses seeking to do this on a no-profit basis are eligible to apply.