HELPING HANDS REACHING OUT TO IRULAR CHILDREN

My dear nephew T.K.Narayanan first wrote to me:

Those were the days when Saturday’s and Sunday’s used to fly with movies, malls, beaches and so on. And here I was approaching 30. It struck me suddenly, “Oh man, what have you done so far..”

There were so many days when I used to think I would do this, do that, but everything was like written on water,  and I had not done anything which was in anyway beneficial to others. I kept tossing in my bed, racking my brain what I should do, could do, not with much success though.

But the gentleman who drove me and my wife late last year to the Pizza Corner, Vandalur, gave a new direction to my life, it can be said with some confidence. When I was airing my angst yet again to my wife, at least doing something different for the coming birthday,  the auto-driver gently chipped in, saying, “Sir, there’s a shelter for homeless children at Adhanur. They are doing some good work. Why don’t you visit them?”

So on Aug 17 I visited the home and found around 25 kids playing merrily. But my first day wasn’t successful, as the person whom the kids call “Mother,”  the person who runs the home, wasn’t around and I had to return empty-handed.

But I persisted. The following weekend I went back and was overwhelmed. The encounter with Ms Flora was a real slap on my face.

Here was a person who had left her job in Madras University as a lecturer and had dedicated her life to the kids. She had invested all her and her father’s savings into constructing a home for the underprivileged.

The Irular and Dalit children of Adhanur under the care of Helping Hands. Ms Flora in the back, with orange-coloured shawl

The stories of the kids were heart-rending. These were the kids who were working as child labourers, grazing cattle, their fathers abandoning them and their mothers and marrying someone else. And here was a person who could coax the kids back to the schools, or perhaps into the schools for the first time, prevailing upon their mothers to agree to the idea and promising all support. They were sheltered, given food, uniform and also coached after school hours.

I thought “We have time to chit chat, go to pubs, malls and what not, but not even few hours for the kids.” Then I decided to make sure even though financially I am not in a position to help her, I will help the kids in their education by teaching them at least on weekends and also make sure they don’t feel lonely.

Easily the most inspiring aspect of the “Mother” is that not even once she has asked me to see if there is anyone who could help her financially or make some donations. The only thing she keeps telling  me is that she could make do with some more volunteers to teach the kids or some doctors who could come and have a periodic check done regularly or a psychiatrist who could visit them to see if the kids are still traumatized…”

My nephew’s enthusiasm and concern touched me too. So I followed up, calling up the lady and had a long chat. Hailing from a village off Uthiramerur, of a very devout Catholic family, Maria Goretti alias Flora is indeed an amazing woman. She had sought to become a nun, but dissuaded by her family, she still chose to opt for “the service of humanity,” instead of contenting herself with a cosy family life.

At some stage, she throws away a well-paid job and chooses to reach out to the Irulars of Aadhanur, off Vandalur, at the very bottom of the social order and of course left to fend for themselves.

Her early days were really a heroic struggle. She would wait around with biscuits, cakes, short eats as Irular children returned from their daily grind, manage to allay the suspicions of the parents and finally making them agree to put some children in a nearby government school.

Now in the house of Helping Hands she is running, there are 23 children in all, some of them actually referred by the district educational authorities who, she says, are very helpful. Interestingly though the church is not, she says in a matter of fact voice, without any trace of bitterness. Yes, not a paise of help from the local diocese, though individual priests do chip in, now and then, with funds, rice, dresses and so on.                                                                                                

I grill her whether she is into proselytization, subtle or overt. “No sir,” even then not sounding hurt, “Mine is Christ’s calling, yes, which only means reach out to the disadvantaged. It doesn’t mean conversion.  Our prayers are all inter-religious or, shall we say, almost secular…We thank god for whatever he is doing and praying to him for his mercy…no god is mentioned by name.” T.K.Narayanan too confirms he didn’t see any picture of Christ or church or any plaque carrying Christian commandments or any other trapping associated generally with a Christian institution.

Being a non-believer I was actually irritated by her abiding faith. Perhaps am peeved that my own pet beliefs, avowedly based on rational analysis, have few takers, even among those close to me. So be it, it is admirable that faith should move mountains, almost literally.

Flora is acting all on her own, her parents were with her for a while, but father died, and mother shuttles among her various children. Barring the cook, an odd domestic help or too and the evening teacher, the Helping Hands founder is managing the establishment all by herself. And it is she who makes the rounds of various authorities.

“Don’t you feel intimidated? My nephew says it’s a very isolated place…not much of a lighting..”

“Why should I be? I ’ven’t faced any problems so far…Anyway I’m in the hands of God…Whatever happens is His will..”

“Ok, tell me, you are in your forties. Not married, no institutional support…Have you any regrets? How do you see your future?”

“I don’t regret anything..It’s all god’s will, I told you…and mind you, am not an ambitious person, so have no grand plans..If I can take care of these children under my wing now, ensure they have good education, perhaps marry off the girls too, my job is done …I know it calls for enormous efforts, persistence and of course resources..am hoping it all will happen..Let’s see…”

So those interested in financially helping or can volunteer to help out the children may contact the courageous lady on 9498062311

Bank a/c details:
Adhanur Helping Hands
Indian Overseas Bank - Oorapakkam - Tamil Nadu - India
NEFT/RTGS  IOBA0002244
Branch code 2244
A/c no 224401000003815