<span style="color: #222222;">In Jammu and Kashmir, Women Self-Help Groups have risen to the extraordinary challenge of COVID-19 pandemic. They are meeting short falls in masks, sanitizers, fighting misinformation and even providing banking and financial solutions to far-flung communities. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Meeting the shortfall in masks and IEC Campaigns to Combat COVID-19, more than ever, these women are living up to their motto of self-help and solidarity. Groups across all the districts of Union Territory of J&K  are working furiously to make up the shortfall of masks.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">AIR Correspondent reports, in Jammu Division, poor rural women who were once engaged in stitching school uniforms are sewing masks instead. Over the past couple of weeks, these women have produced more than 1.50 lakh cotton masks and these masks have been produced by some 395 SHGs across 10 districts of J&K so far. Since production is decentralized, these items have reached widely-dispersed populations without the need for complex logistics and transportation.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">In response to COVID-19, face mask production in the Union Territory of has been initiated by Self-Help Groups members in 18 blocks covering 10 districts under National Rural Livelihood Mission. These Women's groups are also disseminating COVID related messages among hard-to-reach populations. They are spearheading the government's break the chain campaign by raising awareness about hand hygiene and social distancing through mobile phones, posters and weekly meetings.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The UT SHG platform is also spreading the word about hand washing, quarantine and self-isolation through leaflets, songs, videos and phone messages by the support of Concern Block Programme Managers.</span><br />''  <br />