COVID-19: Diary of a social worker and adventurer

By Kavitha Reddy

Thanks to COVID-19, life has come to a standstill since March 15. Fortunately, the last event of Kaagaz Foundation was the Women’s Day Run and it was indeed the last ‘running’ event since March 8 in Bengaluru.

For over 47 days, beginning with March 28,^, the non-profit organization run by me and my team has worked extensively to provide relief to migrant workers and people in need of help. We have supplied over 58,861 food packets, 2450 ration kits accounting to 34300 kilos, over 3800 masks, 50 litres of sanitizers across Varthur, Agara, Singasandra, Arekere, Kudlu, HSR Layout, and Somasundrapalya. We raised funds through friends, runners, and CSR. Together with the money we had accumulated through various running events by Kaagaz Foundation, the total accounted to about Rs 29 lacs. We also helped labourers, auto drivers, dhobis, barbers and others in getting financial help from the government. 

With the focus on COVID-19 relief work and the crisis itself, Basecamp Adventures, our outdoor camping business, was completely shut. We had an extensive plan till November 2020, but all our trips and expeditions got cancelled, leading to heavy financial losses.

As mountaineers, runners and cyclists, even our fitness was suffering. Running was not an option as there was a huge risk of heart attacks if we ran wearing masks. So, we opted for extensive cycling and made it a habit to cycle wherever we went. With less traffic, and cycling being a healthy and safer mode of transport due to Corona, we took to cycling with greater rigor and encouraged others to opt for cycling as well.

A month ago, we formed HaSiRu Mithra Cycling Group, and are cycling regularly on weekends to some amazing spots in the outskirts of Bengaluru, 25-30kms away. Recently, we cycled up to Thottikallu Falls in Bannerghatta National Park. Though 15 kms of the journey were only on city roads, the next 15 kms were simply an awesome trail that was best for cycling. With forest cover on both sides, and hardly any traffic, the journey to Thottikallu Falls was as good as the destination itself. It was an adventurous hangout. When you have a good gang of friends, you tend to like the trail even more. Therefore, we went back to the falls the next day as well.

I don’t know when business and life will be back to normal. Until then, I intend to stay fit, healthy, travel, and help people in whatever way I can. Learning to live with Corona is all I hope to do.

The author is a trustee of Kaagaz Foundation, and founder of Basecamp Adventures. She is an India Book of Records 2020 holder for 817 kms of cycling across Karnataka.