Five students of medicine from the University of Nantes in France are doing their bit to cheer up the residents of a home for the destitute. The students are helping residents of a home run by the ‘White Doves’ in Managed. For a week now, they have been teaching them dancing, singing and will also teach painting and crafts.
They are in Mangalore as they are in the middle of a three-month vacation. They stay and volunteer for two weeks, said Corrinne Rasquinha, who founded “White Doves”, a city-based non-governmental organisation that works to shelter the destitute in the city regardless of their caste, creed or religion.
Estel, Louise, Constance, Marie and Nacva were teaching dancing to the residents. Estel said that they would complete a work at “White Doves” on Wednesday. Though the residents have some health problems, the students said it did not bother them much. Estel said: “Yes, some different behaviour but it's ok” while Louise said: “We don’t think about that”. Another of the group said: “No solidarity, then why do medicine?” Once they are back in France, they will let other students know of their volunteer work so that students from the next batch can come to Mangalore.
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Ms. Rasquinha said that the organisation sheltered 91 residents in two homes in the city. The home in Managed has 52 residents.
She has been getting students regularly from abroad who work in the homes on a voluntary basis.
Once they finish working in Mangalore, they tell their friends.
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