Throughout the pandemic, we have seen the government of India helping out with people’s struggles. It was evident that the contributions and benefits of various public schemes uplifted the middle and lower classes.
Although Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and missionaries have advocated for the poor, we often fail to see the bigger picture. The mainstream media has never shed the light on the untold and undying efforts of the British Government in our country.
As a matter of concern, the contribution of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) during the pandemic towards children and adolescents, and the World Vision India has been extremely valuable. According to the official website of FCDO, Development expenditure on Child Protection and Participation in India in Q1 of FY21, including expenditure on the emergency response for Covod-19, was $482,154 (dated January 1, 2021).
There is no limit to the care provided under the organisation. The FCDO invested large amounts of finance to take initiatives for the welfare of more than 2,000 poor pregnant women and parenting mothers they care for. By launching mobile phone voice messaging named ‘mMitra’, they have been successful in saving lives. The project budget amounted to £249,996.
The Mobile Friend or ‘mMitra’ application allows a user to communicate with a Medical Care Health (MCH) professional on a mobile phone using voice messages and animations. The application provides online education in the comfort of a user’s home. It must be noted that during the first year, more than two lakh women enrolled for the services, and by 2016, the number exceeded six lakhs.
Foreign Secretary Elizabeth Truss recently said that the United Kingdom’s relationship with India is crucial going forward. COP26 has already attracted attention and will lay out a blueprint for global climate change.
India’s backyard has stories that conventional media chooses not to cover. There are many wonderful initiatives being taken by the British government to educate rural India that deserve attention. India and the United Kingdom share more than defence ties. Their relationship extends to the economy as well as to culture.