KASARGOD: Amid all the negativity the social media draws, Khaleefa Udinur, 41, a senior civil police officer with Kasaragod Traffic Enforcement Wing, considers the digital space a blessing. For he has mobilised funds, medicines, and blood for hundreds of beneficiaries in the district in the past 10 years.
Before the advent of social media, word of mouth mostly aided the service and the volume of work was largely restricted to acquaintances and those in his native place, said Khaleefa, who is now busy mobilising `90 lakh for three patients.
He grew up watching his late father Ahamed A K, who was among the early expatriates from his village, serve fellow beings. He had lived for over 30 years in Abu Dhabi.
“I learnt from him that money shouldn’t be a constraint in helping the needy. It can be a recommendation, spreading information, or mobilising help,” Khaleefa said. Whenever Ahamed returned from the Gulf, he brought clothes and goodies for the poor children in the locality.
He also accommodated his countrymen when they went to the Gulf for the first time, and coordinated with those concerned when someone was stranded there.
After his college studies in Payyanur, Khaleefa joined the police force 15 years ago. But he never forgot his father’s words and generosity.
“I always kept in mind that money is not the only help, it can be even guiding people to the right places,” he said.
He started helping out local people, but his range of operation truly expanded after the advent of social media platforms, like WhatsApp.
Over a period of time, he has created a crowdfunding template to help meet the medical expenses of the poor.
First, he would verify the beneficiary and collect authenticity letters from the local ward member, panchayat, and the MLA on their letter heads. He would then constitute a committee and open a joint account. Messages would be posted on social media accounts and every donation recorded and vouchers issued, Khaleefa said.
“I put together this template gradually and it works most of the time,” he pointed out.
At the same time, he said the funds would not be readily available for emergency surgeries in life-threatening situations despite the best efforts.
“There have been cases in which hospitals performed surgeries trusting that we would crowdsource the money. And I haven’t taken any cut or commission out of it,” Khaleefa said.
He also sources medicines for the poor. Just like social media, the Covid pandemic also turned out to be a blessing in disguise for his service.
“A lot of wealthy people were in need of life-saving medicines and I could source them. That turned out to be a favour-banking system. After the pandemic passed, they remembered my timely help,” recalled Khaleefa.
The Good Samaritan act created for him a set of people to turn to when costly medicines were to be sourced from abroad. They stepped in to get medicines from Europe. They would also donate excess medicines — costly ones — prescribed to them by their physicians.
“All this networking is done through social media,” quipped the cop.
He has also donated blood 52 times. Over the years, his service has earned him the support of well-wishers and the police department.
“Social media can be a huge tool for social work when used right,” Khaleefa added.