KOCHI: You can call her a journalist, a social activist and a chef. But Mollie Punnen who is ccomplished in all three areas, has turned her attention on geriatric care. A personal tragedy kindled her interest in geriatric care. Her mother died of cancer 15 years ago. So, her 87-year-old father had to stay alone.
Mollie’s parents had wished to donate their land for the construction of an old-age home, but they could not do so. Hence, Mollie wants to fulfil their dream. “Most people after the age of 65 would need geriatric help,” says Mollie.
She plans to build small cottages with a small garden which will be managed by her team. Services like cooking, cleaning, and facilities for drivers will also be made available. These homes will be set up in Pathanamthitta, Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Idukki. Hospital facilities will be made available in all these units with a special emphasis on geriatric care.
For this, she has started a registered charitable society ‘Maria’s Specialities’. “We have collected funds from educational institutions and IT companies in Technopark and Infopark,” she says. “To get more funds, I have started a project, ‘ Give a rupee, spread a smile’.”
Mollie is a woman of many parts. She is a social worker who supports education, housing, and waste management. She is also planning to contest in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. As a journalist, she has done a few celebrity interviews.
The Malayalam film ‘Mollie Aunty Rocks’ starring Revathi was based on her. Mollie has a small-scale manufacturing unit at Peermedu where she sells her products called ‘Maria’s Homemades’. Before this, she used to run a catering centre in Thiruvananthapuram. “I was passionate about cooking like my grandmother. When I came from Ethiopia, I lived alternatively with my paternal and maternal families. This is how I picked up cooking,” she adds.