The simple idea of an IAS officer provides shelter for hundreds of homeless people during the pandemic

IAS Provides housing, training, and jobs to homeless people…Know more…

Monday, 9th August 2021

Putting themselves and their families at risk of contracting the coronavirus is pitiful and cruel. Due to the strict expropriation, they were left penniless and not even begging was an option, because the streets were empty.

According to a report by IndiaSpend, between March 9 and May 3, 2020, 60% of the 1.77 million homeless people in India received closure relief. This includes food, water, regular medical check-ups, and temporary tents or camps. The rest can only rely on themselves.

Kerala is one of 14 states that took action, and Kozhikode district took immediate action to implement a successful rehabilitation model. It is commendable that regional harvester S Seeram Sambasiva Rao established the Udayam Charity Association to build and operate four shelters in Dongshan, Mankavu, Vellimadukunnu and Chevayur.

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In the past 18 months, nearly 1,500 homeless people have been evacuated from the streets and moved to their homes. Additionally, the district government is also responsible for reuniting the homeless with their families, providing them with skills training and employment opportunities.

Nammude Kozhikode

When IAS officer Seeram from the 2012 plot was stationed in the area two years ago, one of his goals was to provide shelter for street residents under the development project `Nammude Kozhikode`.

"Before COVID19 came to India, we visited train stations, bus stations, parks, etc. many times to analyze the situation of the homeless. Most of them were immigrant workers from North India. Jobs for day laborers and domestic helpers. We told them we provided them with shelter, but they refused. They found it hard to believe that the government would do the best for them. After that failed attempt, we had another chance during the running of the bulls.

The first step is to return as many people as possible to their villages. The rest are first transferred to temporary camps with the help of NGOs and welfare organizations. When they stayed there for two to three months, the district administration identified shelters and buildings as permanent arrangements.

"Our goal is not only to provide accommodation, but also to help them find their dignity and stable income. Through skills and professional training, more than a hundred people have found work in restaurants, construction sites and elsewhere. Some of them even moved from foster homes to accommodation provided by their employers. Rajesh, special coordinator of the Udayam Charity Association, said that without this initiative, the spread of the coronavirus would pose a serious challenge to the homeless.

Utilizing a combination of disaster management, corporate social responsibility and donated funds, the regional administration spends an average of 4,000 rupees per person on food, medical needs and training.

To make this initiative sustainable, Siram deliberately chose to appoint a regional collector as Udayam chairman. "I don't want such a noble cause to end because of the transfer process. Therefore, those who take over as collectors should continue to do so.

Udayam is also a coordinating organization that is responsible for coordinating with different shelters throughout the region to ensure the further recovery of the homeless," said Seeram, who was recently transferred to the Kerala Optical Fiber Network Project as the managing director.

The News Talkie Bureau

Source:

ThebetterIndia