COVID-19 Staff Stories

The whole world is currently searching for a “new normal”. Many have lost their jobs, many have shut their businesses and many others have sadly lost a loved one. As we all wait for the normalcy to resume, we are experience our unique personal challenges. I’d like to share how I have experienced these last few weeks.

March started off for my wife and me falling very ill. After a couple of hospital visits and tests, we were relieved to have been given the clear from the Novel Coronavirus that is tearing through the world right now. A week into our illness, and subsequent recovery, it was certain from global trends that the COVID-19 pandemic was not going away any time soon.

Our first thoughts went out for the well-being of our families and loved ones. Our parents and siblings are spread across 4 countries, and we have been constantly worried for their safety. Another big worry was regarding our finances and job security, especially after hearing and reading about how global business was affected and changing every single day.

Moving beyond this initial anxiety, I found myself to be very fortunate, being a part of the workforce that has had the ability and privilege to work from home. With immense support from the leadership at Delvinia, my colleagues and I have all been largely very comfortable in tackling these uncertain times and in transitioning to the new normal of working remotely. I was anxious about how my day-to-day work would be affected from this shutdown and also about the probable business shrinkage, but it has been very inspiring to see how our leadership at Delvinia sprang into action and rolled out a robust plan to manage the transition to a new business workflow.

Our business has also been an advocate for business continuity, and like several other forward-looking companies had been preparing diligently for such unforeseen situations as this with a digital-first approach and our faith in technological adoption. With a methodical transition, the whole company has been able to follow the nationwide lockdown/quarantine rules by staying at home, and our productivity and business has remained stable. In addition, the Executive Team has also demonstrated exceptional candor in communicating with the whole Delvinia staff regarding everything that transpires each day, so we all continue to feel connected and well informed.

What is helping me the most during this time is my mindfulness practice and the deep gratitude for the position I am in. Gratitude is the best defense to fight hard times. Up until the end of December, my wife was working at the UNHCR field duty station at the Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. She decided at the end of last year to move back for a bit of a break. Had she been in Kakuma during this time of crisis, unable to fly, we both would have had several sleepless nights trying to figure out what to do. Just like me, I’m sure we’ve all reflected over several blessings like these, big or small, that we sometimes forget. A remedy to all our anxiety is to create a deep sense of gratitude in our hearts for these blessings.

I share the same questions and anxieties as everyone else. When will all this be over? What will the world look like once we are back to the new normal? Will I, my loved ones and all the people I know continue to be safe? Will we see a global recession and all its negative effects? But I soon remind myself that this anxiety is germinating from an unseen future, while my present continues to be largely as it was. I count my blessings, say a word of gratitude, send some positivity out into the universe and go about my day.

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