In Support of Manipur: Woodstock School Comes Together

Woodstock School students and alumni have been coming together to provide crucial assistance as conflict continues in India’s northeast state of Manipur.

Students have been collecting funds in support of those displaced by violence in Manipur via chapel offerings and the sale of rakhi bracelets as well as through an upcoming bake sale.

Meanwhile, Woodstock community members have been pledging support towards different channels getting relief to affected areas, many of which are cut off from communication and transportation and have been awaiting government aid for some time.

Read on to learn more about avenues of help suggested by our community members in and from Manipur. Please note that due to the sudden eruption of violence in Manipur and the urgency of need, suggested giving venues include private bank accounts.

As a community supporting office, we are passing all venues of giving which have been shared with us and are not expressly endorsing any one venue of giving/support over others. The giving opportunities presented have been shared by our alumni who are impacted or have families impacted. If you know of other individuals or groups connected to Woodstock who are impacted and are not represented here, please let us know what further information and resources we can add.

Sielmat Protection Committee was set up on 18th May, 2023 to deal with various problems currently faced by Sielmat as a result of the ethnic conflict in Manipur. It is entrusted to look after relief camps set up for displaced families who have sought refuge at Sielmat,  provide free medical care to displaced persons at Sielmat Christian Hospital and to look after the welfare of frontline volunteers from Sielmat. The functions and responsibilities of Sielmat Protection Committee are as follows:

Looking after two Relief Camps:

Sielmat Protection Committee looks after two Relief Camps consisting of 231 displaced persons mainly from Sokom, Laika Misao, Phailenjang and Phuilenching villages where 99% of houses were burnt down . They have been provided with basic amenities such as bedding, clothing and daily meals from donations within the village. As of now the internally displaced persons do not have the option of returning home  as everything they have, has been burnt down.

Looking after Free Medical Camp:

Sielmat Christian Hospital in collaboration with Sielmat Protection Committee  has opened Free Medical Camps from the 18th of May, 2023 till date. This camp has been providing Free medical aid / treatment to any of the displaced persons who have sought medical aid from the 103 Relief Camps set up within Churachandpur District . So far, more than 1,750 patients have had to be admitted to the hospital . The Sielmat Protection Committee volunteers look after the Medical Camp along with the hospital staff.

Looking after Frontline Volunteers:

Currently, Sielmat Protection Committee looks after 123 volunteers who are ensuring our security along with taking care of relief camps and the hospital. Volunteers are not remunerated in any way. It would boost their morale if we could provide some sort of remuneration for the hundreds of hours of their time and energy that they have given to the community .

What we need:

We need food, medicine and clothing for the displaced at Relief Camps as we get only minimal supply from the government. As  winter is approaching, the need for warm clothing increases, which is hard for us to  supply. By the Grace of God, till today we have been able to  manage from contributions/donations from within Sielmat. But, in the days to come things will get harder as the need increases.

We need vehicle for transporting our volunteers and even relief materials for the Relief Camps.

The need to have funds to buy basic things like rice and vegetables for relief camps has increased tremendously as citizens of Sielmat, who have donated funds to buy these, have started to face financial problems as opportunities for work are non existent for non governmental work.

We pray that God will give us what we need as we don’t have any other means besides getting little donations from the villagers. We would be very grateful to anyone who could provide any of our needs mentioned above.

Any help of any amount in Cash/kind is happily accepted by the Sielmat Protection Committee. Online transaction of any amount can be made through the following Gpay/Bank Account number:

– Gpay no.

9774179391

– Bank Account

Account holder: David Paultinkhum

State Bank of India

Account no. 35855508513

IFSC Code: SBIN0015027

Shared by Nancy Pakhuongte ’96

Kakching District

Dear All,

I trust we all are aware of the situation in Manipur due to ethnic clashes erupted between communities that have led to the claim of many lives and thousands have been displaced and have become refugees taking shelter in various locations in Manipur. These affected families’ houses and belongings have been totally turned to ashes. The situation in Manipur is terribly grim as the violence continues and it has been going on for more than one and a half months.

I write this as a human being on behalf of the affected ones regardless of religion, caste, creed, culture, or ethnic background yet trying to find ways to help another human being and others who are in need and their needs are real and huge. My family members are safe so far in Kakching by God’s grace, yet it has been toughed with the problems having sleepless nights.

I would like to brief here about the Relief Camps operating in my hometown of Kakching currently, sheltering affected people from the smaller towns and villages in Kakching district and some of them from other districts like Tengnoupal district and Bishnupur district. About 40 percent of people residing in these camps, their homes have been totally burned down during the violence which still doesn’t seem to be hopping back soon to normalcy. The rest of them, of which some are not sure whether their houses are still safe or burned, of some their male family members (adult) are guarding their homes keeping the vulnerable members in the family at these relief camps.

The need at the hour is big. Currently, there are six units in full operation for these families whose dreams have been completely shattered. People in the respective locality close to these units have been helping them to maintain sustainability until now. People in these camps comprises of different groups including pregnant women, lactating mother, children, infant,
etc, therefore, have diverse needs not just the survival. Some are on regular medicines for diseases like Hypertension, Diabetes, and heart disease etc.

Need of the hour-
Cooking Oil (Mustard Oil), Rice, Dal Moong, Dal Masoor, Sugar, Tea leaves, Diaper, Sanitary Pads, Milk for children (Amul Taza Liquid), Toiletries (soap, surf, toothpaste, basic creams etc), Firewood, Water supply, mosquito nets, medicine for pregnant and people who are on regular meds.

As citizens, to show solidarity with these affected people, would you extend your valuable contribution to the people in my hometown? The contribution from you and I, will make a difference in the lives of these people. I don’t want to sound generic. But, when I say my hometown or Kakching district, is because of the practicalities and to be more realistic, authentic, accountable. I wish, we can extend our help to others districts as well based on the fund collected. From the contributions received, we will be purchasing the required commodities directly from the shops there and will be delivered to the relief camps with the help of volunteers.

If you are interested in donating towards the needs of these people, you could kindly transfer the amount to the given below bank details (Emmanuel Hospital Association, New Delhi). We would like to acknowledge your kind donation.

I am not able to share images of these relief camps except few due to safety and security’s sake and there has been no internet connection available to the civilians until now.

Bank Details:

Donation from Indian Bank Donation from Foreign
Request: All donors please provide PAN number/email address for us to issue a Receipt.

Kindly send the donation specifying For KAKCHING and the other details if any.

+91 9758599900
mayaborni@gmail.com shem@eha-health.org
Accounts: Bank Accounts:
EMMANUEL HOSPITAL EMMANUEL HOSPITAL
ASSOCIATION ASSOCIATION
AC/NO. 3812023724 AC/NO. 40052620899
IFSC CODE: KKBK0000201 IFSC CODE: SBIN000691
Kotak Mahindra Bank SWIFT: SBININBB104
You can also use this link: https://give.eha-
health.org/donations/manipur- relief-programme/ State Bank of India

*Please do not transfer into this account from an Indian account.

Report Prepared By: Mayanglambam Bormani Devi PBBSc., M.Sc. (CHN)
School Nurse,
Woodstock School Mussoorie