Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)
Mangaluru, Jun 7: While most professional college students spend their time in studies and entertainment, Deralakatte K S Hegde College students have started an association for social work trying to bring light in the lives of the exploited.
The association was set in motion during Panambur kite festival on January 16 this year. The association started with an awareness programme on how to stay away from drug addiction and such other vices. Later realizing that good advice and awareness are not enough to set things right, Kshema medical college students under directions from Nitte university vice-chancellor and college dean, started 'Mission Hope', on April 16, with the sole purpose of helping the poor and exploited people in the society.
They kept boxes in the Nitte university hostel, college, administrative office and hospital with the purpose written on them. They collected used clothes, books, bags, toys, pens and pencils in them. They collected nearly 500 kilograms clothes in a month. Besides Nitte hospital and college, nearby Father Muller Hospital staff and students joined hands in the work. Nearly 30 students collected items during holidays and in the evenings. They distributed the items to the residents of Snehalaya in Uppala and children of Balasamrakshana center. The Mission Hope students spent time with orphanage residents and spoke to them understanding their hardships. The remaining items were distributed among more than 100 daily wage workers in the hospital premises.
Nitte university vice-chancellor Dr Ramananda Shetty speaking during distribution of clothes on Saturday, June 4 lauded the efforts of medical students. Kshema College dean Dr Sathish Kumar Bhandary said that Rs 1.5 lacs collected from hospital students and staff for cancer patient's awareness will be distributed through 'Mission Hope'.
Non clinical vice- dean Amrath Mirajkar, Kshema registrar Dr Jayaprakash Shetty, Mission Hope's Junaid Anwar, Deepu Suresh, Abhijith Shanker, Pallavi Mehendaru, Ajish George, Aishwarya Girish and Indu Kurup were present.