A trust and philanthropists have extended help to four siblings of Kuttaiyur village in Erode, who lost their father to alcoholism, and later their mother to illness.
The siblings, Akshita (13), Rakshita (9), Jeya (8) and Mani (3), lost their parents Puttappan and Sakhi, a few years ago. While Akshita and Mani are staying with their mother’s sister at Devarmalai in Bargur Hills, Rakshita and Jeya are living with their 80-year-old grandmother Manjamma in the village located near the Tamil Nadu – Karnataka border in Bargur panchayat union in Anthiyur taluk.
A report on “Girl who lost father to alcoholism pleads with villagers to shun liquor”, was published in The Hindu dated August 9 that highlighted their plight.
On Sunday, R. Sivakumar, Superintendent of Police, Prohibition Enforcement Wing, Salem Zone, and J.J. Bharathi, founder of Selva Charitable Trust, offered to sponsor the education of all the four children till their college education.
Monthly assistance
“The family lost their breadwinners and we will take care of their education needs,” they told The Hindu . A philanthropist in Chennai, who does not want to be named, is willing to provide monthly assistance of ₹2,000 to the family.
Collector C. Kathiravan told The Hindu that if their guardian is willing, all the children can be admitted to a government school at Anthiyur and hostel accommodation can be provided.