Kerala retired teacher sweeps local roads for two decades
A retired teacher dedicates two hours daily to cleaning and beautifying a 350-metre road section in Thottakkad.
A retired teacher dedicates two hours daily to cleaning and beautifying a 350-metre road section in Thottakkad.
A retired teacher dedicates two hours daily to cleaning and beautifying a 350-metre road section in Thottakkad.
Meet Achen K Mathew, a 77-year-old retired teacher from Thottakkad whose retirement is defined by an extraordinary commitment to public service. For the past two decades, he has dedicated himself to a unique daily routine: sweeping and cleaning a 350-metre stretch of public road in his locality.
While many look forward to a relaxed lifestyle in their senior years, Mathew has chosen to lead by example. Every morning, after completing his two-hour yoga routine, the former teacher picks up his cleaning tools to tidy up the roadside along the Kottayam-Kozhencherry Road, stretching from the Chembithanam Bridge to Hospital Junction in Thottakkad.
Mathew retired from the CSI Vocational Higher Secondary School for the Deaf in Thiruvalla. Following his retirement, he turned this voluntary cleanliness mission into a full-time passion.
The 350-metre stretch of road now features a neatly tiled footpath on one side, while the other side is adorned with lush plants, making it a scenic route for commuters. As the treasurer of the Thottakkad Nirmal Residents Association, Mathew has become a symbol of civic responsibility. He is supported in his eco-friendly endeavours by his 74-year-old wife, Annie Philip, who is also a retired teacher from the same school. The couple has two children: Aneesh K Mathew, who lives in the USA, and Asha Mary Mathew, residing in Sharjah.
"I spend two hours practising yoga daily before heading out to clear the weeds, spray weedicide, and sweep the pathways," Mathew shares. "I had also planted several ornamental plants along the road to beautify the stretch. However, it is quite disheartening that some anti-socials have uprooted and stolen many of them, leaving only the ones directly in front of residential homes."
Despite such setbacks, Mathew remains undeterred. He continues his work with unwavering enthusiasm, proving that age is merely a number when it comes to serving society. His life serves as a powerful reminder that with a bit of determination, every citizen can contribute to keeping their surroundings clean and beautiful.