Sevana (meaning shade in Sinhala) was an initiative begun by the MEI Foundation in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the project was to provide grocery items and home cooked meals to destitute Sri Lankan domestic workers in Riyadh who were made redundant by the pandemic or were awaiting repatriation back home.
The project took place in parallel to our 24/7 phone counselling service run by MEI Foundation's Dr. Kifaya Ifthikar. Through this number any Sri Lankan domestic worker in need of help could contact us. We facilitated their requests, arranged for medical help, and provided a listening ear for them to share their troubles.
One of the sub-projects undertaken through Sevana was the production of two videos by MEI's chairperson, Zainab Ifthikar. The first video release covered important COVID-19 healthcare guidelines and the second one as a tribute to our healthcare heroes in the frontline. The video can be found here : https://youtu.be/5hNwd-NOpoA
Just as its name, Sevana acted as a shade for our people during difficult times.
