TIRUVANNAMALAI: People from across the country are going all out to help the victims of flood-hit Kerala. It is no different in the State. Everybody is doing their bit to help the needy in the neighbouring State that includes the eight-year girl from Villupuram who donated her entire piggy bank savings of over four years after watching people’s plight. She was saving to buy a bicycle. Now, a man who seeks alms here and leprosy patients have pitched in. Yezhumalai, a 48-year-old pauper, contributed 100, which he begged along the Girivalam path on Monday, to the Kerala Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
In addition to that, 1,035 was donated by leprosy patients at a government rehabilitation home in Mallavadi. Collecting these and adding `10,000 by pledging his two-wheeler, P Manimaaran, a social worker who has been helping leprosy patients for the last 17 years, sent the money to Kerala. Talking to Express, the national award winner for ‘the best social worker in 2015’ said, “On Monday, 38 patients at the rehabilitation home, where I was looking after them came forward to contribute for the flood victims. Aged between 70 and 80 years, they donated `1,035 from their savings.”
After collecting the money, Manimaaran went to the girivalam path, where he had been treating leprosy patients. That was when Manimaaran explained about the plight of flood victims to Yezhumalai, who lost both his hands and a leg in a road accident.“When I met Yezhumalai, I told him about the dreadful situation in Kerala. Without hesitation, he gathered all the coins and the old notes that had been scattered on a cloth and gladly handed them over. He is hopeful that his contribution would help someone in need,” added Manimaaran. Taken aback by invaluable contributions, Manimaaran pawned his motorcycle for `10,000 and donated the amount to the fund. Despite his small-scale textile business doing badly, Manimaaran has been making efforts to help the needy.