An auto-rickshaw painted in blue and black pulls up outside the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai every day at 7 a.m. This auto-rickshaw, on the other hand, is anything but ordinary because its owner and driver, R Seetha Devi, is giving away free oxygen to anyone in need.
But it was Seetha's tragic death in May 2021 that prompted her to launch this initiative.Seetha took her 65-year-old dialysis patient mother to the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital when she contracted COVID-19. They had to wait for hours outside the hospital since there were no available beds. They were able to get her admitted after a four-hour wait, but she succumbed to the virus.
“If my mother had oxygen sooner, she could have been saved. I don't want anyone else to go through what my mum did. That is why, outside of the hospital, I decided to start an oxygen service,” explains the 36-year-old.
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On May 6, she installed an oxygen cylinder in an autorickshaw that was being used to carry food as part of an effort run by her NGO, Street Vision Social Charitable Trust. Seetha takes the autorickshaw to the hospital every day for over 12 hours a day to deliver oxygen to those in need outside the hospital.
“I answer the phone 24 hours a day, seven days a week in case someone requires oxygen. My volunteer team and I arrive as soon as possible, seat the patients inside the van, and give them oxygen,” Seetha explains.
She has been able to offer free oxygen to almost 500 individuals since the campaign began, and she has transformed two more autorickshaws into oxygen-supplying vehicles.
Seetha has been using her autorickshaw to transfer the bodies of unclaimed COVID-19 victims to the burial place, in addition to supplying oxygen. In addition, she has installed sanitary napkin dispensers in ten hospitals across Chennai and delivers food to the needy in and around the area where she lives.
“During COVID-19's second wave, many people are scared and unable to obtain the necessary supplies. I feel obligated to assist them in any way that I can. I'm delighted that my efforts have given me the opportunity to save a few lives,” Seetha says.
Seetha demonstrated tremendous courage while she was at one of her lowest times in life and resolved to serve others. Her unwavering commitment to helping others is a source of great inspiration, which Shell India is highlighting through their campaign, ‘Great Things Happen When We Move.’
Shell hopes to commemorate the indomitable spirit of Indians, their dreams and aspirations, as well as their incredible experiences, with this campaign. ‘Great Things Happen When We Move' is a campaign about people who show unwavering strength and determination to achieve their goals by simply going forward.
By presenting Indian women's amazing stories, the campaign urges them to step out, move forward, and pursue their aspirations. The central claim of stories like Seetha's is that mobility is a critical enabler of people's success.