Taking On the Heat: CauseBecause Commences Donation and Distribution Drive
This summer in India has been as hot as any in recent years, and large parts of the population are working through current conditions of extreme heat. From the comfort of our homes, we can hardly imagine what it feels like for those who have no option but to work in the sun throughout the day.
With this in mind, CauseBecause began a donation drive last month, May 2026, under the guidance of the Delhi Science Forum (DSF )and collected gamchas and ORS sachets for people in need. This is the first such programme of several planned in a consultation on 15 May on the Delhi Heat Wave Action Plan 2026. Under this drive, we were able to collect 150 cotton gamchas (stoles) and 200 ORS sachets. Siyona Munjal, the captain of our Young Earth Heroes community, contributed the gamchas, and the ORS sachets were donated by Team CauseBecause. Shahari Kamgar Mahila Union (SKMU) also helped us in moderating the drive by connecting us with Anima ji from the community.
This initiative will continue through July, and under it there will be two distribution drives per month. On 4 June 2026, we went to Gadhakhor Basti, Faridabad, for our first distribution drive. It was humbling to see people living in such difficult conditions, with mostly kuccha houses made with bamboo and discarded cloth, long distances to be walked to fetch water, little to no access to healthcare, and long commutes for menial work. Being there, though, felt like it mattered and would help the people of this community.
We held a small awareness session about the dos and don’ts of staying safe in this heat, during which we explained to the local residents the importance of covering their heads and necks with the gamchas, consuming ORS and keeping themselves hydrated. It was a pleasure to see people gather and listen to us so keenly, and thanks are due to Anima ji for enabling this gathering.
It’s safe to say that the first drive was a success, though it would have been even better if more people could have joined us and contributed to both the giving and receiving. We hope our upcoming programmes take us further towards the successful implementation of this collaborative heat action plan.
