Andhra Pradesh: This All-Women Group Is Providing Home-Cooked Meals To COVID Patients In Quarantine

A group of four women under the name, Naarisena have been serving nutritious meals to COVID-19 patients under home quarantine in Kakinada, Andhra Pradesh.

Lavanya Samayamantry, Padmaja Gogireddy, Padmaja Koduri, and Bhanu Maddala are assisted by Varsha Pichikala and Anasuya Paningapalli in running this generous initiative.

They also deliver medicines to COVID-19 patients for free to people who are alone or poor.

While Lavanya is self-employed, Padmaja Koduri is a teacher at Ashram Public School. Padmaja Gogireddy is also working as a teacher. Varsha is an assistant professor at Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University- Kakinada, and Bhanu is self-employed.

It is not for the first time that they've come forward to help people. The initiative was started by Latha Chowdary Botla of Hyderabad around a year and a half ago. During the first wave of the COVID outbreak, Naarisena helped poor COVID patients and served food to nearly 90 people every day in the city, reported The New Indian Express.

At present, Naarisena has spread to different parts of Andhra Pradesh and even Bengaluru. Once they receive orders from COVID patients, they further take the assistance of nutritionist Nirmalamma before planning the menu.

Firstly, they order food material from Subbaiah Hotel, Ramaraopeta and Home Kitchen at Dairy Farm Centre. Then they cook it in hygienic conditions. Once the food is packed, it is delivered to the patients' residence with the help of two youths.

Lavanya shares that they even receive fake calls as well while carrying on the initiative. They firstly receive orders on call and then later share the patient's contact number with their colleagues who are responsible for home delivery.

"We start by supplying food for three days per patient. Depending on a patient's health, we increase it to seven days," Lavanya said.