Daijiworld Media Network - Bantwal (SP)

Bantwal, Feb 6: A man from Kalladka in the taluk, who did not have a job, and whose sponsors had left him high and dry at Qatar, had lost all hopes of seeing his family again. He did not have his passport with him, nor money to return to his native place. Therefore, he used to work as a rag picker in the streets of Qatar during the day for survival, and spend nights in a dingy room lighted with candle. The struggling days of this man were over, thanks to Qatar-based Indian Social Forum (ISF), which came to his rescue and helped him out of his crisis.

Venkappa Poojary

Indian Social Forum (ISF) members

Venkappa Poojary, son of Veera Poojary, resident of Kepukody near Kalladka in the taluk was facing a bleak future at Qatar when ISF helped him out of the tricky situation he was in.

Venkappa, working as mason in villages near his home, had bagged a job at Qatar through an agency based at Mangaluru. He left for Qatar on May 4, 2016 and worked for Al Tagteed Stone and Marbles Company as scheduled. But as luck would have it, the company went bankrupt within two months because of losses. Out of 30 persons who worked for the company, all except Venkappa went back. Venkappa was stuck as he did not have money. "Although I worked for two months there, I was not paid anything. I wanted to come back home. But I did not have money to do so. I could not find the whereabouts of the owner of the company, a Sudanese, who had my passport with him. Having become directionless, I spent life like an orphan there," Venkappa says.

Luckily, Venkappa could live in a room belonging to the closed company but its power connection had been severed. He did not have money even for food. Therefore, he started to pick plastic and such other waste from roadside, sell it to the scrap shop, and somehow fill his stomach. He lighted candle to drive away darkness at night.

"After they came to know about my plight from people at my native place, members of ISF came searching for me. My hopes got renewed at their sight. They took me away, and looked after me like their esteemed guest. They searched for the owner of my company, located him, and collected my passport. They also addressed the legal hitch that came in the way of my return. They bought air ticket for me and sent me home. Because of their largess, I have joined my family here. I am extremely grateful to ISF," Venkappa says with voice choked with emotions.

Venkappa confesses that being a Hindu, he had no hopes of getting help from Muslims but ISF members searched for him and helped him out. They cared for him for about one and half months and also promised to fight his case in the court and get compensation for him. But he says he told them that he did not want any compensation, but yearned to return home. "With the efforts of ISF members, I could come back safely. I am highly thankful to ISF leaders, Ibrahim Bollur, Haroon Suratkal, Latif Madikeri, Shariff Vagga, Yahya Puttur and ISF Bantwal taluk representative, Ashraf Machar, and others for their kindness and services," he narrated.