Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Jul 2: The premier NGO in the city, White Doves, has contributed and is still carrying on with providing selfless service for the progress of society at large. The organisation has also been feeding the homeless and destitute since the past 23 years.
Founder and president of White Doves, Corrine Rasquinha, along with her team comprising of secretary and treasurer Jerome Coelho, manager Jerald Fernandes, driver Mani and member of White Doves Sunil Baliga, went out on the streets to provide cooked food to over 1,700 destitute and migrants, ever since lockdown was enforced. When the influx of the migrants surged the team served those accommodated at Rosario Church Hall, Milagres College, and Attavar government school, among other places. Wherever the need arose, Rasquinha and her team distributed breakfast, lunch and dinner, totalling up to over 70,000 meals. Bishop of Mangaluru Dr Peter Paul Saldanha also joined the team in distribution of food kits some of which were sponsored him.
Along with serving food, the NGO also handed out food kits to the migrants and underprivileged people living in the vicinity of Kannur, Jeppinamogaru, Panjimogaru, Kavoor, Kulur, Uleya, Padil and Morgans Gate.
Although the government has provided certain relaxation in the prevailing lockdown, the team at White Doves continues to cook a nutritiously hot meal consisting of rice and curry. On a daily basis, the team feeds over 300 impoverished people found on the streets near Nehru Maidan and city town hall. The food menu comprises of egg curry with rice on Tuesdays and Fridays, and on Sundays, people are served chicken curry with rice. On other days it is vegetable curry with rice. On Saturday, July 4 to celebrate the birthday of his son, one of the donors of White Doves from Dubai has placed an order for a special meal of chicken biryani from Utada Mane. It will be served to 140 inmates of White Doves and other homeless people. "It will be a special meal for all those on the streets as well," Corrine Rasquinha said.
Speaking to Daijiworld, the White Doves team expressed their grief over being unable to serve food to the homeless amid the recent rise in the number of coronavirus cases. Meanwhile, the spike in cases is also posing a serious health risk to the main pillars of the White Doves Psychiatric Nursing and Destitute Home wherein 140 destitute people are being looked after charging without any monetary or material aid.
"It is not just about helping people by providing relief to their hunger, the NGO serves as an ear to the homeless. They express to us their pain and troubles. They ask us for answers to their problems, means to return to their village or ways to get medical help or help in obtaining jobs," Rasquinha stated.
"One such story is of 23-year-old Rajesh who has been suffering from high fever and weakness. He has requested to be admitted at a government hospital for treatment. I hope the district administration takes some action and help him to get admitted into an ESI hospital for temporary relief.
"If we are barred from distributing food distribution to the needy because of the rising cases of COVID-19, I hope the district administration finds ways and means to feed the homeless," she said.