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The Covid-19 crisis has demonstrated fragility of the system and now it showcases how there is an urgent need to build strong safety net for the disadvantaged groups.
“Covid-19 is a disaster that has unified us. It has affected the rich and the poor. But for the poor, it is an everyday reality,” Harish Hande, founder and CEO of SELCO Foundation explained.
“Preparing for post crisis period, what was learnt from the environmental movement is needed now and should be part of it, we also need to make sure that we rebuild with action towards climate, poverty and development,” he added.
In a post Covid-19 world, paving a sustainable and inclusive future is vital. Quoting the 2018 Multidimensional Poverty Index, which showed that in addition to the 1.3 billion classed as poor, Hande said that an additional 879 million are at risk of falling into multidimensional poverty, which could happen quickly if they suffer setbacks from conflict, sickness, drought, unemployment and more.
India has 8.5 per cent of its population living in poverty, whereas 19 per cent are in an acute risk of falling into multidimensional poverty because of a small setback. “In the past few weeks, Covid-19 is one such setback which will push millions decades back in development.”
Anniversary
The SELCO Foundation, which works on sustainable energy projects for poverty eradication by collaborating with governments, NGOs, financial institutions, public institutions, social enterprises, completed 10 years.
To mark its anniversary, the foundation invited Dennis Hayes to deliver a webinar talk. Hayes, an environmental activist, who is credited to have started the Earth Day movement in 1970s, along with Wisconsin senator Gaylord Nelson to generate awareness on the evils of climate change.
In is address, Hayes said “India is a microcosm of the world, with varied geographies, culture and socio-economic contexts. This places the country in a unique position to innovate for the world-innovate in a manner that we reach our developmental goals in a healthy manner.”
Recalling his visit to India in 2011, where he visited an Integrated Energy Centre in Dharmasthala, Karnataka.
“Founded in October, 2010, this Solar Energy Centre was one of the first innovative initiatives taken by SELCO Foundation and it was an honour to have Hayes inaugurate it,” said Hande.
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