Since lockdown, members of a small mosque locatedoff Arundale Street in Mylapore have been reaching out to over 300 poor families in the neighbourhood.
Says Humayun Kabir, a resident of Srinivasa Road, Mylapore, who has coordinated the donation process, “From Day One of lockdown, we have been donating dry rations (rice, dal, oil, sugar) to over 300 poor families residing at Srinivasapuram, Patinapakkam and Bazaar Road.”
“The members (jamathars) of the mosque at Arundale Street sponsored the donation. In addition, a few of my college friends, well-wishers and I too contributed,” he says.
To carry out the distribution, Kabir says they first identified auto drivers, tailors and daily wage workers who may need help.
“Then, through word of mouth, we came to know about more poor families and reached out to them.”
On the morning of Ramzan (May 25) too, the team distributed provisions to some 100 poor families of their community.
“Every year during Ramzan, we provide dry rations to poor families of our community living at Patinapakkam, Srinivasapuram, and inside the dargah compound off Kutchery Road. They all used to come outside the mosque to get them. But, this year, it could not happen due to lockdown. So we pooled in Rs.40,000 and distributed a pack of 250 grams of mutton, a kilo of basmati rice, semiya and oil to them.”
- Picture courtesy: Humayun Kabir
