Kozhenchery: 'Chekutty dolls' came to symbolise Kerala's perseverance in the face of natural calamities. They were initially made by weavers at Chendamangalam using flood-soiled handlooms in an effort to overcome the losses they had suffered.
Now the Class 8 students of NSS High School at Kattoor in Pathanamthitta district are creating the dolls to collect money for the treatment of a Class 10 student, Lijo who is suffering from a rare disease of the brain.
Lijo is under treatment at Medical College Hospital, Kottayam, and urgently needs Rs 1.5 lakh to buy medicines.
The Class 8 students in his school were inspired by a lesson titled ‘Manavikathayude Theertham’ (The essence of humanity) in their Malayalam textbook and decided to come to the aid of Lijo.
Students of the class Chaithanya Rajesh, B Abhijith, M D Sreehari and Mithun Manoj were the first to take up the initiative under the guidance of their class teacher Chitra. The other students soon joined the effort.
All the students of the class are now creating 'Chekutty dolls' which would be sold to fund Lijo's medical expenses. He had lost his mother while he was very young and is being looked after by his aunt.
In addition to the noble initiative of the Class 8 students, the headmistress of the school Sreelatha is carrying out fund collection for the ailing student.
School authorities have also opened an account in the name of Lijo Mon at SBI, Vazhakkunnam branch. Account number: 67371791081. IFSC: SBIN0070763. Phone number: 9447784849.
Chendamangalam, a town famed for handloom production in Ernakulam, was badly hit in the 2018 floods.
