Thrissur: Santha, 76, was disheartened by the news and visuals of floods that ravaged Kerala in August. A keen follower of news channels, she shifted her mattress-weaving unit to the living room so that she doesn't miss any piece of news about floods. She couldn't get a good night's sleep even after scanning the newspapers of August 15 and 16. Disturbed, she visited Vincent George, the superintendent of the government old age home she stayed in. Santha handed over Rs 1,500 to Vincent and asked him to transfer the amount to the chief minister's disaster relief fund (CMDRF). Vincent received the amount with folded hands because he knew that it was all what Santha earned by weaving mattress, selling pickled mangoes and manufacturing papad.
Santha set a trend which was followed by all the other 73 residents of the home at Ramavarmapuram, Thrissur. On August 26, Sunday, they handed over Rs 35,000 to VS Sunil Kumar, Kerala minister for agriculture and the legislator from the Kaipamangalam constituency, Thrissur.
“I was moved when Santha approached me with a bundle of dirty notes. She wanted me to hand it over to the disaster relief fund. I know best how destitution and poverty feel,” Vincent George said. He quickly called a stand-up meeting of all the residents of the dormitory and announced Santha's act of generosity. After a minute's silence, there came Saraswathy with two Rs 2000 notes. George, Thankappan, Valsala, Janaki and all others followed. Vincent, who intended to donate the Rs 1000 annual allotment for the Onam celebration to the relief fund, got more than Rs 20,000 from the residents. The eight staff members also mopped up Rs 5,000.
The home has 74 residents, aged between 60 and 95. They do pickle making, papad manufacturing and mattress-weaving to earn a livelihood. Seven of them are totally bed-ridden and require personal help.
Receiving the amount, minister VS Sunilkumar said it was one of the invaluable contributions the relief fund ever received. “It is not the amount that matters but the donor's willingness. On that scale, this is the biggest sum we have ever received,” he said. Sunilkumar visited the home on Sunday to wish the residents a happy Onam.
