MUMBAI: A 16-year-old from Churchgate is raising funds to vaccinate the villagers of Alibaug, the coastal town where the Covid-19 vaccination drive has been sluggish.
On Friday, Nandini Kataria, a class XI student from Hill Spring International School, Tardeo, helped 1,110 villagers of Dhokawade get vaccinated for free by raising Rs 12 lakh from wealthy bungalow owners, and coordinating with the local panchayat and the collector’s office for the drive.
The Katarias, who have a second home in Alibaug, organised a special drive on June 14 to vaccinate staff working in the bungalows in Dhokawade village. That is when Nandini heard the staff complain about inability to get vaccination slots due to a shortage of vaccines.
“I got in touch with members of Dhokawade panchayat to understand the problems in Alibaug, and was shocked to find that barely any in the 18-44 age group had received vaccines,’’ she said. “I also found that few in the 222 villages in Alibag were vaccinated,’’ she added.
The teenager approached Apollo Hospitals in Navi Mumbai for the vaccination and bungalow owners of Dhokawade for contributions. “We were surprised to see a young girl leading the vaccine initiative, but it was a heartening initiative,’’ said an official of Apollo Hospital. She has already gathered funds from bungalow owners for free vaccination on Tuesday for handicapped and mentally challenged residents of Alibaug.
After the vaccination drive in Dhokawade village, the panchayat of Sasawane village also reached out to Nandini. “I am now helping them collect funds from Sasawane bungalow owners,’’ she said.
