Media Release
Mangaluru, May 12: The Mangalore Jesuits Educational Society (MJES) in association with St Aloysius College Alumni Association (SACAA) launched ‘St Aloysius Covid Care Centre' on Wednesday, May 12 and distributed food kits, psychological accompanying, medicine, health facilities and essential items to families of poor, migrant workers, low wage labourers, and other poor families here to cope with the ongoing lockdown/pandemic.
When doors close and hearts open - The Covid-19 crisis has brought to the fore not only our limitedness as human beings in the face of a pandemic but also the sad plight of migrants, daily wage earners, the elderly and the mentally sick during lockdown. The vision of education at St Aloysius Institutions is to create men and women for and with others.
Mangalore Jesuit Educational Society has taken this initiative to reach out to the poor families of migrants and daily wage earners by providing them with provision kits and Covid-19 essentials weekly. The efforts put in by MJES and alumnus of St Aloysius Institution during this pandemic in helping out the society through their little contribution is praiseworthy.
St Aloysius Institutions, Mangaluru had plunged into action as soon as the nationwide lockdown was clamped in the month of March 2020 and rendered significant service to the people and families infected and grievously affected by the pandemic with the strong support and goodwill of the alumni, generous contributors and volunteers. MJES, in its initiative, could reach out to hundreds of victims of the pandemic like the migrant labourers and distressed individuals through providing food kits, psychological accompanying, medicine and health facilities regularly. Radio Sarang, the Community Radio of the College continually broadcast awareness programmes to the people of the region regarding the virus, its spread and precautions to be taken to save oneself from infection.
The Entrepreneurship and Consultancy Cell of St Aloysius College (Autonomous) had taken initiative by launching 'St Aloysius Jaala Santhe' on July 15, brought together hundreds of rural entrepreneurs and farmers in a WhatsApp group and facilitated buying and selling of these farmer products.
In the wake of the second wave of the pandemic hitting hard and the exponential spike in the spread of the virus, MIES has put in place a centralized Covid Care Centre on the campus to facilitate quick and speedy redressal of the issues and concerns of the people affected and infected by the virus leading to serious psychological and physical health hazards. The Centre will operate from the Gelge Hall (Main Auditorium) from 9 am to 5 pm.
Rector of St Aloysius Institutions and vice-president of MJES, Fr Melwin Pinto SJ in his speech said, “Let us come together to combat the challenges posed by the deadly virus and help in its mitigation. Time has come to demonstrate our solidarity with the suffering humanity. As we empathize and responded to the plights of the migrant labourers during the first wave by providing nutritious food costing approximately Rs 900 per food kit, we would like to continue the same during the second wave too. I am sure, there would be hundreds of such daily wage earners and migrant labourers languishing in the streets, bus and railway shelters waiting for our success. The expensive and most required apparatuses related to Oxygen would cost us enormously as we aspire to reach out to every single affected person that comes in contact with us.”
Speaking after the blessing and launching of the ‘St Aloysius Covid Care Centre’ Fr Praveen Martis SJ, the principal of St Aloysius College said, “God has given us two hands – one to receive with and another to give with. We are not cisterns made for hoarding; we are channels made for sharing. When we share the sorrow of the crucified of the earth, we are no longer alone. We are made to share each other’s burdens. Sharing food and provisions with the poor and the needy feeds our friendships, bolsters our bonds and nourishes our sense of community – and those factors are vital for our happiness. I request the alumni of this great institution to come forward with their helping hand in making this project a success, aimed at a good cause during the pandemic where people are suffering and need help”.
On the launching of this Care Centre, the president of SACAA Steven Pinto and Fr Cyril D’Mello SJ, the coordinator of this project, and also the director of St Aloysius Industrial Training Institute also spoke and sought support from well-wishers and alumni of St Aloysius Institutions to contribute towards this project.
Dr Alwyn D’Sa, the registrar and organizing committee member compered the programme.
The Aloysius Covid Care Centre will facilitate the following services to those who require assistance regarding the following:
1. Identifying persons and groups who require food and arranging for its distribution on a regular basis.
2. Reaching out to people with distress and loneliness through the College helpline and accompanying service ‘Manothejaka' for personal counselling services and services offered by the Counselors of the Institution
3. Continuation of the service rendered through Aloysius Jaala Santhe, by facilitating awareness regarding the rural entrepreneurs in the group through the staff and students.
4. Attending distress calls regarding emergency health-related issues, hospitalization and requirement of medicines and refer the same immediately to the experts and institutions providing such services.
5. Provide awareness regarding the importance of vaccination and educate people to register themselves for vaccination.
6. Identifying and providing financial aid to patients with very poor economic background.
7. Arranging for Medical Advice by expert doctors in cases of emergencies along with facilitating consultation on Post-Covid Care treatment. Provide assistance to the senior citizens in the city who need help in terms of transportation, reaching necessary medicines and other Covid care-related medical aid to their homes.
9. Facilitate Ambulance services to patients who are in dire need of immediate transportation.
10. Continue the regular awareness programmes on Radio Sarang, motivating and persuading members of the public to take extreme precautions and take vaccination on a priority basis.
For more information please contact:
Aloysius Covid Care Centre (Help Desk 1) 7204313231; Aloysius Covid Care Centre (Help Desk 2): 72O4432353
Manothejaka Helpline/s: 8762585440.
Email: manothejaka@gmail
Counselling services (Contact 1): 9995031182
Counselling services (Contact 2): 9048409985