St. Joseph's students launch drive to help Kerala victims

Bengaluru: As nature’s fury continues at Kerala in form of heavy rains, floods and deadly landslides, students from a city college are trying to reach out for various relief activities to the needy in the neighbouring state.

Social work students of St Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Langford Road are at present collecting relief material constantly updating the needs of the disaster-hit population co-ordinating with their postgraduate students and alumni who are on field at Kerala.

Students are reaching out to all major schools and colleges in the city running a resource mobilization drive to transport relief material, tentatively by August 25.

Elaborating on the drive Roshini Sundar Raj, a third year BSW student said grassroot situations from the affected areas in Wayanad and Mananthavady areas are being closely studied to formulate materials that are needed for relief and rehabilitation.

“At present we are collating school supplies, toiletries, sanitary napkins, medical supplies, clothing, footwear, blankets and non-perishable food items as these are on high demand at those locations. We are also giving prime importance towards ensuring books and study materials reach the children there as well to enable them rehabilitate faster from relief camps back to their normal academic schedule,” she said.

As many as 180 students from the Department of Social Work have been constantly in touch with each other and not-for-profit organisations at Kerala to plan their relief operations in a scientific and feasible manner.

According to the head of the department Lt. Akshay Mandlik the first batch of relief material will be dispatched from the college on August 26.

Elaborating the plan he said, “We have sent out request letters to most of the major schools and colleges in the city to be a part in our drive. Drop boxes and points will be made available at multiple points in these institutions helping the citizens to contribute. Our students will then go around and collect everything and bring it to our campus where final packaging will be done. Some students will also travel to the sites by the end of this month.”

The team is at present working on networking with more NGOs from the city and Kerala to expand the reach of the relief operation as more areas are getting adversely affected over the days.

Items needed: School supplies, toiletries, sanitary napkins, medical supplies, clothing, footwear, blankets and non-perishable food items.
Main drop-off location: Department of Social Work, St Joseph’s College (Autonomous), Shantinagar
Contact: 9845935944 (Lt. Akshay), 9482005650 (Femina), 7338150695 (Natasha), 9844284289 (Roopika)