ABSTRACT
As the novel coronavirus began to spread worldwide in early 2020, millions of people were stranded in different parts of the world because of the travel restrictions imposed by various governments and the cancellation or suspension of flights by international airlines. They included hundreds of thousands of Indian tourists, students, workers on short-term visas, and families visiting relatives in far-flung parts of the world. While the Indian government organized special flights to ferry some of them home, many were left stranded without official assistance or the means to support themselves in foreign lands. But a loosely organized network of not-for-profit organizations, run by members of the Indian diaspora, took matters into their own hands and offered to assist those in need. They raised funds, provided shelter, and collected, cooked, and delivered food to the needy, in addition to helping them in myriad other ways. This chapter contextualizes and explores the role of three civil society organizations who coordinated their efforts at local, national, and global levels to meet the needs of the stranded Indians and other South Asians. It aims to capture their initiative and social capital that transcended borders to bridge the gap in delivering services to vulnerable people.
