We recently posted a video about how COVID-19 is affecting our supply chain, and the importance of supporting the workers. We also told you about Ismail, our wonderful friend and business partner, who runs the factory that makes Lucy & Yak clothing in Rajasthan. Many villagers in the local village near the factory have been badly impacted by the lockdown and he is now supporting them by delivering food and supplies.

We have had many people ask us if there is any way that they can donate directly to help Ismail support the people in the Tillora Village that have lost their income due to COVID-19 and India's lockdown. So, we thought we would set one up!

If you have heard our story, you know that Ismail is the owner of our main factory in India. We met Ismail whilst travelling and instantly hit it off; he shares our values and our ethos, we knew instantly he was the right guy for us to team up with. Ismail is now one of our dearest friends.

During the COVID-19 outbreak Ismail has been delivering food to people in his village who need it. He has decided to keep the Brother's Collection factory closed for a few more weeks to ensure the health and safety of his workers and is using his spare time to help others in need. Ismail's tailors are all well and he is looking after them.

India announced a countrywide lock down on the 25th March, with only 4 hour’s notice for people to get back to their homes. A lot of labour workers in India work in states hundreds of miles from their home, so they had to find a way back with little notice. A lot of these workers live day to day and have no savings, some are self-employed meaning they have no support, some were employed and have now been laid off with no pay. Ismail discovered that 24 families in his village had been affected massively by this and overnight all 24 were unable to afford food and basic items.

Ismail being the beautiful soul that he is went out immediately and bought food for them all. Ismail has a small family business, but he will spend every penny that he has looking after others. He has since gone on to other villages close by assuming that they will also have people in the same situation. He was right; he found more people that needed help.

We have donated some money to him to help him support more families too, so he has a healthy pot right now to keep people going.

Food in India is not expensive compared to here in the UK, £1 to £2 will be enough to feed a family for a day.

If you can spare any amount it will be hugely appreciated, but please only donate if you yourself are in a position to do so. We are all facing the same global pandemic, but it is certainly affecting everyone differently.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for donating if you choose to.

We hope you and your families are safe and well

Love

The Lucy & Yak team in the UK & India