Quaranteens CAS Project 

We are a nonprofit organization that aims to provide for those in need of clothing and food. Due to COVID-19, many families have been struck financially and emotionally and do not have sufficient resources to help them through these difficult times. We will collect clothing from families with children attending our school while also purchasing food packets, hand sanitizer, face masks, and donating them to families in need. We already conducted the first round of distributions; however, we plan to make more runs and require the MIS community’s assistance. Our prominent two locations are in Hinjewadi and Koregaon Park, but we hope this project could expand to other Pune and Maharashtra areas in the future.  

My research and communication skills further developed due to the extensive research needed to understand how to form an organization such as Quaranteens. Throughout this project, collaboration, planning, and organization skills were critical to ensuring we would succeed as a team with our mission, particularly during the pandemic when most of our communication took place virtually, which was one of our most difficult challenges.

In terms of our roles during this process, we all got together to talk about what would be ideal for everyone. Two members of our group were out of the country which required more planning from our team to ensure everyone knew their roles. Since I was unable to physically distribute, and I was unsure of when I would get back to Pune, I took up the role of website manager, wherein I would deal with the visuals and forms being distributed. 

Both personally and collectively, there were many challenges faced throughout the process, especially given the current worldwide situation. There were some challenges in making the website, such as the information that was required, making it coherent and visually appealing, and making sure the format was logical. Collectively our communication could’ve been a bit better. We couldn’t have any physical meetings between us, and so all our planning had to be done virtually, at certain times throughout the week. Being unable to meet in person was a problem as not everyone could communicate their ideas effectively; however, as time went on, we overcame this issue and used our group meetings more productively. I was able to return to Pune earlier than expected, and as a result, I was able to give a hand in the distribution and help my group members. 

In our first distribution run, we each were given a designated role for that specific day. Aryan S and I helped hand out the food, sanitizers, and masks. Dayun ensured that security measures were being followed, Aryan R oversaw taking photographs, and Ishaan took care of supplying the food and other necessities. At first, we were all quite nervous and shy; however, as time went on, we could distribute food efficiently while also being cautious. When we were distributing, we made sure to keep our distance following the safety protocols. 

In times of isolation and severe loss during this global pandemic, we aimed to help those within the community who suffered greatly. The growing uncertainty around the coronavirus has also left families with growing tensions about their future. We hope that our donations could provide some source of relief and support to those who need it most. We hope that this project can be continued by future DP students and continue to provide help to those who require it.