MALAPPURAM: After the rulers of GCC countries made surprising contributions, acts of kindness by the expatriate communities there have come as a big relief to the flood hit. Expatriates, who cancelled their plans for Bakrid and Onam celebrations, are active in holding collection drives and chalking out rehabilitation measures for flood victims. In the UAE, volunteers deployed by various organisations collected at least 60 tonnes of commodities through days-long drive. “Volunteers worked day and night and held drives while people here took commodities to counters set up for collection,” said Dubai Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) president Anwar Naha.
Apart from KMCC, various organisations like Kerala Pravasi Sangam, Abu Dhabi Sakthi and Indian Association Sharjah were active in carrying out drives and some of them opened exclusive counters where generous persons were told to chip in for Kerala. Volunteers here say some of the cargo companies even expressed their interest to take the commodities free of cost to Kerala airports. This is in addition to monetary support from the expatriate community.
“The Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) has received a huge amount from businessmen, industrialists and even from expatriate labourers. Kerala owes much to its diaspora for making it a developed state. Expatriates have risen to the occasion by extending relief,” said Kerala Pravasi Welfare Board chairman P T Kunhimohammed.Relief activities, according to Naha, were never an affair exclusively handled by Keralites.
“Arabs and expatriates from other states and other countries also joined us and extended all possible help. We were accompanied and helped by students community while Arab celebrities carried social media campaign for Kerala,” Naha said. Ranging from toys to sanitary napkins, various materials were collected by volunteers. Expatriates in the UAE have so far sent around 30 tonnes of goods to Calicut International and Trivandrum International Airport where they will be collected by volunteers and handed over to district administrations and voluntary organisations.
Prominent cities of Saudi Arabia, including Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah, along with cities in Qatar like Doha witnessed collection drives. After contributing their bit for relief activities, expatriate organisations are now chalking out plans for rehabilitation of flood victims.VPS Healthcare chairman Dr Shamsheer Vayalil has so far donated `50 crore for rehabilitation and rebuilding works.Anwar Naha said plans will be made after holding discussions with people’s representatives and officers concerned.