Transgender Community Emergency Rations
In April, the team responsible for the Transgender Intervention Programme in Kanchipuram raised funds and distributed emergency rations to the transgender (TG) communities. Rations included rice, flour and pulses, providing essential food items to members of the TG community left particularly vulnerable during lockdown.
The impacts of the lockdown have had a disproportionate impact on the transgender community.
Due to social marginalisation and gender-based discrimination in employment, transgender women are often restricted to employment in the unorganised sector. With no formal economic support , TG women have no choice other than to practice unsafe contact with people to continue to earn money, or lose their income source.
Transgender women are also a high-risk group for HIV/AIDs.
During the lockdown, people living with HIV/AIDs risk losing access to crucial AntiRetroViral therapy, and are considered highly vulnerable to COVID-19 infection and risk serious complications.
Our team Kancheepuram are dedicated to ensuring the needs of the TG community are met.
By virtue of the TNSACS Targeted Intervention Project, the team are familiar with the TG communities. This allowed the team to identify key individuals for receiving material relief. After raising funds, the Blossom team made incredible efforts to support the community by distributing key supplies to vulnerable members of the TG community.
The team also took the opportunity to signpost individuals to primary medical care centres, to ensure individuals are continuing to access the healthcare and health provision that they require.
The team will maintain and open dialogue with the community and continue to provide support over the coming weeks.