Bengaluru, 28 May 2021: Bollywood playback singer and
music composer Arijit Singh has collaborated with Facebook and GiveIndia to
raise funds for COVID relief to support rural India. He will collaborate with
Facebook through its SocialForGood Initiative. This is the first time Arijit is
hosting a live fundraiser and through
this campaign titled ‘Helping rural India breathe and stay safe", he intends to
provide essential supplies such as oxygen equipment, beds, medicines, food and
financial assistance to those affected by the pandemic in small towns and
villages.
The relentless second wave of COVID-19 has already stretched
the availability of essential medical equipment and crippled the healthcare
infrastructure in cities. However, the problem has begun to escalate with the
spread of the virus into the smaller towns and villages of the country.
Through his initiative, Arijit hopes to help provide medical
equipment and healthcare needs to help those in such regions - like his own
hometown of Murshidabad, West Bengal.
To support the initiative, donors can directly go to the
GiveIndia fundraiser page and make a contribution to the cause. As a part of
the campaign, Arijit will also be doing a livestream through Facebook from his
village of Murshidabad on Sunday, June 6, the details of which he will be
announcing on his Facebook page. Fans can both enjoy the live concert, and make
a contribution to his fundraiser on GiveIndia.
Commenting on this, Arijit Singh said, "I have grown up in a
small town in Murshidabad in West Bengal and wouldn't be who I am if not for my
small-town upbringing. Seeing how COVID is affecting the people of rural India
and watching these regions lack the required infrastructure saddens me and
improving things in these regions is of critical importance for the livelihood
of crores of people."
While, Manish Chopra, Director and Head of Partnerships,
Facebook India added, "Facebook’s SocialForGood initiative is focused on
supporting large community causes by bringing together public figures and
creators to raise awareness and funding. We are happy to partner with Arijit
Singh and GiveIndia for this cause."
GiveIndia CEO and Founder 2.0 Atul Satija said, "These
regions have inadequate health facilities and limited access to basic
needs. It is critical to support our
rural population with lifesaving medical supplies, put healthcare
infrastructure in place where there is none, and help with nutrition and
financial aid. GiveIndia is grateful to Arijit for his support through the
campaign to minimise the negative impact of the pandemic in rural India."
