SHILLONG, May 21: “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” Mahatma Gandhi once said and keeping his views alive, many NGOs, communities and individuals are now coming forward during these difficult times to assist the most deprived in the community and are suffering quietly in these turbulent times.
The cruel pandemic followed by the lockdown has taken a toll on people especially those who have been infected with the virus and their family members who are reaching out for help. While the Government with its limited resources is doing whatever it can to help the needy, civil society groups and communities in Shillong like last year have once again come forward to ease the pain and suffering of those in distress.
The ugly virus has revealed the other side of love compassion and empathy which individuals and groups have demonstrated in these difficult times. Team Jiva led by Babloo Vaswani has been feeding the homeless for over four years now at City Hut Dhaba but has never made this public. Team Jiva’s motto, “Blessed to serve” says it all.
Similarly, the owner of Delhi Mistan Bhandar, Kailash Verma along with his friends are ensuring that people get all the assistance in their tough times. Recently they assisted a lady in Mawpat with an oxygen cylinder as she needed it urgently.
In addition, Verma and his friends also provide food and medicines to sick persons and those who are hospitalized and under the free oxygen project of Rotary Club of Shillong, an oxygen concentrator was also donated.
The Sikh community of Shillong has also won hearts by setting up an “oxygen langar” for the benefit of COVID-19 patients and they are providing oxygen to people from all communities
Michael Kharsyntiew is another individual who is ensuring that people get support to tackle the pandemic. Kharsyntiew who actively helped poor people with food and other essentials during the last wave continues his effort even this year and time and again, he provides hand sanitizers, masks and other COVID related materials to different localities and Dorbar Shnong.
Not to be left behind are the Dorbar Shnong and the Rangbah Shnong who have been playing a proactive role in conjunction with the Government to try and address the needs of different constituents during this second wave of the pandemic. Some Rangbah Shnong have given their premises in their respective localities which are now being turned into isolation centres. The local heads also effectively help the Government by ensuring that people follow protocols and ensure that government orders are implemented in letter and spirit in their respective localities.
Apart from these, many other organizations like Round Table India are also providing free food delivery for COVID patients and their families in Shillong city. There is MakeSomeoneSmile a groups of pro-active youth that are trying to assist the elderly and relatives/parents of those working outside Shillong by reaching food and groceries apart from helping to assist them with ambulances and finding hospital beds for the elderly.
Apart from these, there are many other groups and individuals who are silently working to make lives better for healthcare workers but who do not wish to be mentioned. All of these angels of mercy make sure that they serve the society in whatever way they can in these challenging times.
On Friday Chief Minister Conrad Sangma also tweeted, “It is heartening to see that individuals and groups in Shillong have been feeding the homeless and hungry and providing rations to the poor and doing it quietly. Also grateful to those providing breakfast to health workers. The effort is much appreciated.”
