KOCHI: It is heartening to see people, irrespective of nationality or financial status, pitching in with their contributions to help financially backward families tide over the resource crunch they are facing due to the lockdown. Stephanie Herve, a French national, is one such gentle soul.
A regular to God's Own Country, Stephanie jumped right in to help out the less fortunate with food kits when the matter was brought before her by the owner of her homestay Casa Mia at Fort Kochi.
"Stephanie has been a regular to our homestay," said Usha Antony, owner, Casa Mia. The French national is a music therapist and had arrived here on her annual visit, said Usha, adding, "But the lockdown forced her indoors." Usha said, "She had been following the various initiatives being undertaken to help the less fortunate people in the state and wanted to help."
So, Usha suggested donating some amount to buy the items needed to prepare food packets at the Veli community kitchen. "She readily agreed to get the amount necessary to fund the kitchen for eight days and also promised to help out with the money needed to prepare 160 food kits," said Usha. The idea was to prepare kits having all the items necessary to sustain a family for more than a day, she added.
"Stephanie, who is also into charity work, especially among children, collected the money by singing songs and conducting meditation classes. She shot videos of her singing, both in French and English along with my son 15-year-old Thomson Antony, who gave a Carnatic recital and chanted Sanskrit mantras. Stephanie then uploaded these videos on a French WhatsApp group called Gabriel Association, which is into charity work," said Usha.
When the members of the group came to know about the reason behind the videos, they began sending funds, Usha added.
"The number of songs she sings varies. Sometimes it might be 24. On other days it might be less. Stephanie also conducts live meditation classes," said Usha whose son Thomson is a Plus Two student of SH Higher Secondary School.