Tag: COVID South India

Update – South India

On my buying trip to India in February I made it a point to visit the people who we donated rice to during the covid lockdown. I wanted to meet them, hear their stories, and see first hand if we touched their lives in any way.

I was uncharacteristically nervous on the drive there.

Please click here to follow my journey throughout Asia on our Instagram page. I recently traveled through North and South India and Nepal.

My first stop was the young woman who was pregnant during COVID last year and did not have a place to live. Here she is with her husband and daughter, now 9 months old. Her daughter is a beautiful, happy and healthy young girl. As we were leaving she told me “thank you” in English and I could see in her eyes that she truly meant it. The “thank you” touched me deeply.

Next, we visited the family with two blind sons. Only one was there at the time. The mother was a wonderful woman who was all smiles and chatting to me in Tamil. She showed me her house and how they all slept on the floor together in one cinderblock room with a corrugated roof and a fan. She told me that when she got the rice, she immediately started a fire to start cooking it because they literally had no food to eat. She was so thankful for what we had done for her family.

We visited a village that could not have been any more marginalized by society. They lived on the outskirts of town with no water or electricity. No government aid gets to them and they are purely subsistence living. On the drive getting there I was amazed at how my friend, Balan was even able to find these people. When I was there Balan told me how some of the villagers were amazed that the rice was whole grain rice. They were used to only eating cracked rice, basically, they could only afford the low-quality rice that had some defects to it.

It was an incredibly rewarding and difficult day for me. It was rewarding to connect with the actual people we donated rice to, look into their eyes and feel how appreciative they were of our help. It was difficult because you can see how large the issues are with poverty in India and the world. As much as I would love to solve the issue, it is not something that one person can come in to correct. It would take a massive effort to change society.

Balan and I were brainstorming over things we can do in the future and hope to bring another donation opportunity to everyone again soon.

Thank you again to everyone who donated to help make this happen.

~Kyle Tortora, Founder, Lotus Sculpture

Click to watch the video of my experiences visiting the people we donated rice to during the covid lockdown.

UPDATE – Feeding the hungry in South India

On Friday, June 4th we have wired an additional $21,416 to India bringing our total donation up to $42,513.

“I have seen many of the people we give rice to immediately start to boil water to cook the rice.  They are that hungry.”

~Balan


We have distributed 25,000 25kg bags of rice so far to only the neediest people in rural villages.  Next week we are looking to distribute another 25,000 bags of rice.

The lockdown in India is crippling the poorest of the poor leaving many of them hungry.  Here is your chance to directly impact the life of someone who needs your help.  

Please click here to make a donation now >>>

Here are some images of the relief you have helped to bring to those most in need.

Families in need are depending on us! Please help us spread the word so that we are able to continue our outreach in South India.

Help us out by Liking, Sharing, and Tweeting this page


COVID Relief Update South India

I have been utterly blown away by the generosity of our customers!  
As of 8 am on Friday morning, May 28th, we have raised $28,327!

On top of the $2,000 initial donation, Lotus Sculpture is matching the $8,338 donated in the first 24 hours. That brings the total to $36,665!

From the $2,000 wire payment made to Balan on 5/19, we were able to donate 175 bags of rice to needy villagers in India. An additional $19,097 was wired to Balan on 5/24 to purchase rice for another round of distributions.

Balan has focused on the villages around where he lives in Mamallapuram by contacting village leaders and asking them to give names of families who have the most need.  
These are mostly agrarian families who live day to day earning their living by working in the fields for their daily needs. With a full lockdown in place, they are unable to work and are going hungry.   


We made the decision to donate 25kg rice bags because rice is the central staple of the Indian diet and can easily feed a family for up to 3 weeks.  

“It is difficult to explain the feeling I got when I saw their eyes fill with relief.”
~Balan

Our Plan:

Balan has already purchased 1800 bags of rice (25kgs) with the 2nd wire sent of $19,097 on 5/24.He has been in contact with village leaders around Mamallapuram compiling lists of families with the most need.  

Currently, no one is allowed to leave their homes with police enforcing people staying in their homes. 
On Monday, May 31st, when the harsh lockdown lifts there will be 8 local points where the bags of rice will be distributed. 

These points will be at Balan’s home as well as the homes of his friends and local leaders.  (We will send a newsletter with pictures of the 2nd round of donations next week.)

What Is Still Needed:

We will continue to give as long as there is a need.  With the lockdown measures in place indefinitely there is still a need for aid.  

In the first week of June, we will send another wire for rice distribution around our bronze artists in Kumbakonam and Swamimalai. We have already contacted our artisans and have started compiling lists of families in these areas. 

Give knowing that 100% of every dollar you give goes to buying rice in South India.  

Families in need are depending on us! Please help us spread the word so that we are able to continue our outreach in South India.

Help us out by Liking, Sharing, and Tweeting this page