TIRUCHY: Many videos of daily wage workers asking for help are doing the rounds on social media. But how many of them actually get help? If the video lands in the hands of people like Manoj Dharmar, of Shine Treechy and Jeevanandhan, a Headmaster in Tiruchy, chances are, help would be delivered, even if it means travelling 250 km (return distance) to deliver the goods. But what started as a journey to help the needy, became a humbling experience for these good samaritans, when the villagers paid them back with some locally grown produce.
In Sirumalai, a forest area in Dindigul district, there are a group of daily wage workers who have been left penniless since the lockdown began. These people work as coolies and depend on their daily wages. Being a hilly region, access to groceries isn't easy.
"Since the lockdown began, we have not been able to go to work. Both my husband and I do coolie work. Since the past 45 days or so, we have not been able to do any work. We haven't been able to buy rice or even tea leaves. The ration rice is just enough for a one-time meal. We aren't even able to feed our children," says Tamilselvi from Sirumalai.
Manoj got the video and decided to act on it. He joined hands with like-minded people like Jeevanandhan, and arranged for groceries for 25 families. Each kit cost Rs 700 and has atta, oil, sugar, tea, toor dal, rice, salt, chilli powder etc.
"We received a video and felt that we had to help them. We raised the funds through social media and received the amount required at lightning speed. We took the groceries in 2 cars and delivered it to them." said Manoj.
They were pleasantly surprised when the villagers refused to take the kits for free. They felt that they must give something back.
"They gave us 3 gunny bags of Bangalore Brinjal (Chow Chow) which is locally grown there. Five of us travelled in 2 cars to Sirumalai from Tiruchy," said Jeevanandhan, Headmaster of Subbaih Memorial School.