Service beyond self

Some city-based organisations provide aid to the needy without discrimination

May 06, 2015 08:29 pm | Updated 08:29 pm IST

An eye check up in progress at the Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Thevara

An eye check up in progress at the Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Thevara

Charity takes many forms. And in this regard the activities of some organisations in Ernakulam district are worth emulating. Caste, creed, religion or domicile is immaterial for them to provide succour to the eligible. Sreekaram, an NGO in West Kochi provides free medical consultation, clinical tests, treatment and rehabilitation for poor patients, St.George Conference under St.Vincent De-Paul Society in Angamaly, provides free shelter in the form of a housing colony and the Gurudwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Thevara conducts diabetes and eye camps.

“It was the congregation of like-minded people on Vijayadasami day in 2009 that paved the way for this organisation. We started the NGO by providing free medicines to 100 poor patients. The regular clinic with doctor consultations was started later. As we had no building, the Vanadurga temple in Mattancherry doubled up as a clinic”, says R.Prakash (65), President of Sreekaram.

Although the clinic functioned adjoining the temple, there were no taboos on non-Hindus seeking treatment.

The regular allopathic clinic runs on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. up to the departure of the last patient. On Sundays it works up to 1 p.m. Food is served in the morning and at night.The homoeo clinic functions on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Those diagnosed with critical illnesses are shifted to hospitals, with Sreekaram providing financial assistance. Around 10 allopathic doctors and a homoeo doctor serve at Sreekaram without any remuneration. Among them four doctors serve on regular basis and remaining are on rotation.

Sreekaram also conducts free medical camps, ambulance services and awareness classes for the financially challenged.

“When a patient comes for free medical check up his/her financial back ground is noted and our volunteers check the veracity of their claims,” says U.N.Ravi, treasurer.

One way the charity raises money is by selling old news papers. “So far we have collected and sold five tonnes of old newspapers. On an average we collect 1.5 tonnes of such newspapers each month,” says B.Ananatha Raj, joint secretary.

“It was in 2005 that the idea of implementing a long and sustainable project to provide shelter to poor destitute couples and widows occurred to us. Named Vincent De Paul Nagar, it provides 500 square foot homes for poor abandoned parents and widows,” says Peter Sebastian Chittinapilly, President of St. George Conference.

“We have more than 75 monthly donors and various one time contributions. Squads are formed for collecting money by visiting all the shops and commercial establishments in Angamaly town for charity work. Our members also contribute to meet expenses,” says Peter.

Whenever the Conference receives an application for a home at Vincent De Paul Nagar, the office-bearers conduct background checks and the financial and social background of the applicant is verified. Destitute men and women above the age of 60 are eligible to apply. “No discrimination in the name of caste, creed and religion is observed in selecting the beneficiary. Their financial background and their children’s attitude towards them are verified,” says T.T. Varghese, secretary-caretaker of the locality, which is supported by the St. George Basilica in Angamaly.

“Children of the inmates are not allowed to stay with them,” says Joy Pallian, vice president of the Conference. The inmates can live in the homes till their death but cannot mutate the property.

Five doctors in the panel of the Conference visit the clinic functioning in the locality periodically. The spouses of the society members too work voluntarily as nurses and pharmacists and assist the doctors on those days.

They also have an ambulance on the premises to move patients to hospitals in case of emergency.

The gurudwara offers homoeo clinics with free medicines six days a week and conducts a diabetes check up camp and eye clinic on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month respectively. Free cataract surgeries are also offered in association with Giridhar Eye Institute for those who cannot afford them. “We have been conducting the homoeo clinics for the past 12 years and the eye camp and cataract surgeries for eight years. We have received generous donations from various sources that allow the gurudwara to extend such services,” says Bunty Singh, a city resident.

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