By Verghese V Joseph –
Responding to the challenges faced by poor people in Bengaluru – particularly the daily wage earners and migrant workers — during the lock-down brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, some group of individuals, their partners, organisations, collaborators and volunteers went about silently helping the disadvantaged with food kits. Over 40,000 migrant families have benefited from this noble initiative so far!
The hub of the relief work operations at St Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bengaluru bustle with relief operations activity.
Watch their fascinating story in a documentary titled “Karuna Warriors” put together by Periya, S.J. The film is on the people of good will who took a quick proactive step to alleviate human misery – the poor and migrant labourers, who became the victims of unplanned nationwide lockdown due to Corona pandemic.
People like Vishal Ponnappa (Distribution – Food Kits), Fr Melwyn D’Cunha, SJ (Director, St. Joseph’s College – Autonomous), Aparna Ponnappa (Coordinator – Fund Raising), NGOs, Institutions, volunteers have all camped at college premises overseeing food distribution operations.
When this concern was brought to the notice of Fr. Francis Guntipally, SJ who in turn asked St. Joseph’s institutions if their premises could be used for relief work. Fr Victor Lobo, SJ, Principal of the institution readily offered his premises to distribute food kits. So Diya Ghar along with XLRI Alumni Association (Bangalore) and in coordination with St. Joseph’s Group of Institutions joined hands and quickly set up an operations hub at the college premises.
Aparna believes the dictum that if one doesn’t put in one’s own money for initiatives like this then no one will. Hence, she contributed her share of money and the rest of the NGOs, people, benefactors and others pooled in from their resources.
John Samuel, President of Slum Dwellers’ Federation, who himself is a slum dweller could identify immediately what is the need of the hour. People like Mandeep Kaur from Micro Plastics Ltd chose to be a ‘Corona Warrior’ and lent a helping hand for this noble cause. Mohamad Umar, Student of Chitrakala Parishad chose to chip in for relief work about a week ago. Also, religious institutions such as FSI Convent from Langford Road too came over to help in the initiative. Sr. Anthony Mary brought some more nuns from her FSI Convent.
Kevin Lloyd, St Joseph’s College – Boys (President – Student Council) and other students like Akshya Kumar, Muni Baidar and Nelson roped in their college mates for this noble cause.
Fr William SJ, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous) too couldn’t hold back and he too came in and offered his mite.
Fr Stanly D’ Souza, President (Bangalore Jesuit Education Society) says, “The beauty of the work is one of collaboration. We collaborate with NGOs and non-NGOs, government agencies, staff and students, alumni and alumnae and of course the benefactors.”
“When students approached their parents to take part in the relief work, naturally there was opposition. The opposition out of love and concern, however, students took the risk and are now staying in the hostel and helping in the relief work,” Fr Victor Lobo SJ, Principal, St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Bangalore.
NGOs like Seed India Foundation, Azim Premji Foundation, Rotary Club and philanthropists and individuals from across the world have come forward to support the initiative.
With the funds, they buy food materials directly from the market, wholesalers, dealers, rice from the mills, vegetables from the farmers. XLRI is the backbone of this operation.
The sheer number of talented people involved — Fr Joseph Nazareth, SJ, Indian Social Institute, Vishal, Pratap Potholeraja and others speak volume of the effort involved in this initiative to feed the poor during these trying times.
“When we care, we win!,” ended Dr Augustine’s (Dept of Social Work) St. Joseph’s College, in his observation of the activity that was around him.