“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” - Mahatma Gandhi
R. Kannan, a 25-year-old youth from Senthamangalam near Vadipatti needs dialysis twice a week. He spends Rs. 2,300 each time he visits a private hospital in Madurai.
Last month, he realised that he did not have the money for the following week’s dialysis. When a group of students came to know of his plight, they collected Rs. 10, 000 for him by circulating a message for help in the social media. Ilakkiya, a Plus One student, who stays in Joe Andrea Illam, a home for parentless children at Y. Othakadai, wants to become a doctor to serve children like her. Hers is not blind enthusiasm but conviction reinforced by confidence given to her by the ‘annans’ and ‘akkas,’ who spend time with her during weekends. Tales like this are heard in places where the needy look for a helping hand, a warm hug, a loving smile and a caring company — dispelling a popular impression that young people waste their time with electronic gadgets and in malls.
About 500 youths, most of whom study in colleges in and around Madurai, spend quality time in the service of others almost every day. The rallying force behind these youngsters is their ‘Akka,’ M. Rajadarshini, a postgraduate in engineering and an acclaimed chess player, who has won gold in Commonwealth under-16 chess tournament in 2003.
The idea to help others in an organised way dawned in 2014 while working on a programme to create awareness of eye donation, recalls Ms. Rajadarshini. She got her Enlight Trust registered on August 12, 2014, and since then they are on a quest to serve the needy. These youngsters also network with other organisations and groups to reach out to genuine beneficiaries.
Aravind programmeThe students have partnered with Residents Social Responsibility Programme of the Aravind Eye Hospital to identify people in need. The Aravind programme also involves young postgraduate students of ophthalmology. “This initiative is intended to improve the level of empathy among young doctors so that when they go back to their places they look at patients as people and not cases,” says N. Venkatesh Prajna, Director, Aravind Eye Hospital.
C. Srinivasan, a final-year postgraduate student, is excited about his visits to schools, home for orphaned children and homeless people. Under the programme, the postgraduate students contribute money twice a month and also their time in the service of others. Dr. Prajna contributes twice the total sum provided by the students. The money is spent in providing play materials, audio systems, books, educational tools and dress materials tailored to the needs of children. “It gives me a lot of mental satisfaction as this is an opportunity to look beyond the eyes of patients. Our exposure to these children drives me to do more and more to the society,” says Dr. Srinivasan.
Places of serviceThe plunge into social work has taken the students to many places in Madurai district — Indian Association for the Blind, Sundararajanpatti; Home for Leprosy Patients, Othakadai; Government Orphanage, Gandhi Museum Road; Bethshan Special School and Home for Children of Parents with HIV, Vadipatti. Their service does not follow a rigid pattern. “We mostly operate by word-of-mouth. Social media also helps us in spreading the word. We have a WhatsApp group,” say M. Gopinath, who passed out of K.L.N. College of Engineering this year, and A. Issac, II year B.Sc. (Visual Communications) student of American College. Even as they say this, there is a call from Thiagarajar College saying that 20 students will reach the place of service as their special class is over.
The students were able to collect lorry-loads of materials for flood-affected people in Chennai and Cuddalore district.
“Whoever hears about our work joins the team. There are people employed in Chennai and Bengaluru who take time to join our service programmes in Madurai. Our parents are aware of what we do in our spare time and so they do not mind even if we return home late in the night,” says Ms. Rajadarshini.
Exposure to hardship has made the students realise the importance of bonding, empathy and friendship on one plane and issues such as HIV and sanitation on the other. For them, it is mutually rewarding as the beneficiaries bond with them meaningfully, thereby enhancing the self-esteem of the volunteers. Most of their work relates to rural areas and issues.
Next planTheir next plan is to collect things in disuse from residential complexes in the city to be given for use to the needy in villages. The first item they received is a computer in working condition.
