#COVIDactionCollab (CAC) is a collaborative of individuals, organizations and networks representing the public, private, civil society, academic and other sectors who believe that by pooling our expertise and resources, we can address the problem of COVID and use this opportunity to make the world a better place.  The CAC drives comprehensive and co-ordinated action, with poor, marginalized and vulnerable people and their communities at the very centre of the response.  

The Collaborative is ideated by the Catalyst Group, a 26-year-old social impact platform, with significant experience in social and economic development as well as humanitarian emergencies.

The aim of the COVID Action Collab is to support various stakeholders – civil society, private sector, academics, networks, foundations and governments, to rapidly and cost-effectively:

1. Prevent new infections
2. Diagnose early
3. Treat appropriately and with care
4. Mitigate negative impacts on livelihoods, well-being.

The Collaborative is driven by three strategies:

1. Deliver high impact package of services to key communities (12.5 million), where the collaborative members have a direct presence or reach, complementing the Govt.
2. Setup and operate an information exchange and build capacities of key partners and actors.
3. Solve critical challenges which can have a high impact on response with solutions such as competent resource estimation, nuanced telehealth and tele counselling networks, infrastructure for community surveillance and more.

The Governing Council for the CAC has 11 eminent members who steer and guide the collaborative.

It has been 1 month since we came together as a Collaborative. Here are some key highlights:

• The Collaborative consists of 150+ organisations, reach over 12.5 million+ people (the poorest, vulnerable and marginalised) across 16 States and 100 districts in India. The Collab is also expanding to other countries like Nigeria, Tanzania on request. A full list of partners is available here
• Over 20 unique tools, protocols and frameworks have been developed for COVID response and socialised. Several Social Protection Schemes / Programmes have been actioned on the ground through helpdesks.
• 15 solution circles have been formed wherein experts have been assembled to solve critical issues (e.g. estimating resources at the city level for COVID emergency) and also apply emerging and new technologies (e.g. Sewage testing for COVID hotspot identification)
• 900 volunteers have been enrolled of which 200 have active projects.
• 70 vendors who supply life savings materials are identified and on-boarded for members to access.
• Social protection worth Rs 10 crores has been delivered to poor and vulnerable communities, leveraging Governments 
• From Taaras Coalition, sex workers in 26 Organizations made and distributed masks to 5705 families.
• IIFL Private Wealth, supporting Swasti and United Way, donated nearly INR 2 crores to the PM CARES fund for COVID-19 response, signed up with Give India for India COVID-19 relief fund and has provided INR 25 Lakh so far to the CAC
• PHIA Foundation is running a helpline to reach stranded migrants to provide counselling, medical advisory, lockdown information, and connections to local CSOs for food and rations: over 20,000 calls received so far; It is also working with TATA Trusts and Google to leverage Internet Saathi Program to empower villages: tapping into 20,000 internet saathis across 4 states
• International Scientific Instrument Co. developed a Personal Protection Equipment Kit and is providing medical supplies to all ICMR approved laboratories, shelter homes etc.

For more information on the COVID Action Collaborative please write to [email protected]

Organizations that are members of the Collaborative

1. Designers
   The Collaborative is ideated by Swasti (part of the Catalyst Group) which prioritises the most vulnerable and has been active in the Social Impact space for 25 years now and has experience of responding in humanitarian emergencies such as Tsunami, Gaja, etc.
2. Governance Team
   Eminent individuals form The Governance Team at The Collaborative. This Team leads on forecasting and planning using a range of predictive intelligence tools, oversees the organising and direction of The Collaborative and undertakes coordination and a continuous loop of feedback and adjustments.
3. Working groups
   The Collaborative’s Working Groups are active 24 X 7 in ensuring that the Framework is responsive and deployable at any given moment. The Working Groups are in 11 areas: Calibrated Response, Finance, Human Resources, Materials, Information, Infrastructure & Equipment, Health Strategy, Governance, Technology, Social Protection & Livelihoods, Marketing and Communication. You are welcome to join any of our working groups by writing to [email protected] today.

You can join the Collaborative by filling up this form.