Media Release
Mangaluru, Jan 28: Forty-six HIV-positive children were delighted by Johnlyn Toy and Book Exchange on Sunday, January 27, at their Shivbagh Residency home. Run by Bengaluru-headquartered Citizens Alliance for Rural Development and Training Society (CARDTS), Shivbagh Residency hosts 24 girls and 22 boys in its three-storeyed building premises.
Johnlyn Toys began the toy distribution event by offering the children breakfast, ahead of their daily medicine intake regimen. The toy hampers, specially packed to suit boys and girls, were presented individually to each child. The children were also presented common-use items like tricycles, football/throw-ball and a skateboard.
The event began with a prayer-song rendered by the children, which was followed by a welcome speech by Veeresh J, Project Manager, Mangalore, CARDTS. The Johnlyn Toys outreach team included, besides its founder-president, John Monteiro, co-founder Mohan Monteiro, his wife Neisha Lobo and their daughter Maya as also Zach, son of co-founder, Primrose Monteiro-D’Souza, who flew down from Mumbai for this outreach function. The toy hamper presentation was graced by local corporator, Sabitha Misquith, and was preceded by the singing of songs by the children who were also led through a brief laughter session anchored by John Monteiro, who is also the founder president of Bondel Laughter Club. John Tauro, a Shivbagh resident and social activist, facilitated the outreach programme.
Speaking on the occasion, John Monteiro noted that it was the sixth outreach program held so far, covering about 260 of the 2,200 such children hosted by orphanages and bal/balika ashrams in Mangaluru, and that Johnlyn Toy Bank is working diligently towards covering this entire constituency. He said Johnlyn Toy Bank, launched in January 2018, had received a good response from enlightened donors of toys and books at the outset. But the initial supply of toys and books is now tapering off, and he appealed to prospective donors to continue to deliver their unwanted toys in good condition to Johnlyn Cottage, Vijaya Bank Lane, Bondel Junction, or contact him on 9886276608 or monteirojohn@hotmail.com to get more details.