Notwithstanding their hectic schedule
that involves a lot of physical activity, members of a taxi syndicate
here have not strayed away from their humane side and responsibility
towards society by donated food items and stationery to a children’s
home in Kalimpong.
The Darjeeling town-based Kalimpong
Motor Transport Syndicate (KMTS) was moved by the pitiful condition of
the inmates at the Little Angels’ Children’s Home located at Kyasyang, a
remote area in Pedong, Kalimpong that is being run by pastor Awaner
Rai.
In fact, it was syndicate member Bir
Bahadur Rai who got the opportunity to visit the children’s home
recently when he had gone to drop a passenger in Kalimpong. Upon his
return to Darjeeling, he informed syndicate members about the children
home and their moral responsibility to do something for the hapless
kids.
“We were informed about the children’s
home in Kalimpong by Rai. We too were moved and immediately called our
members for a meeting. It was decided that we would extend help in kind
to the home,” said Mahesh Gurung, the syndicate’s chief advisor.
KMTS members, all 45 of them, pooled-in
money from amongst themselves and visited the children’s home on August
24. They had brought along a quintal of rice, 50kg of flour, 15 litres
of edible oil, 200 packets of instant noodles, dal, soaps and biscuits
along with stationery.
“It is a small effort but we thought our
gesture could pave the way for others to do likewise in order to
support the home,” said Gurung.
The Little Angels’ Children’s Home was
established five years ago by pastor Rai in his private property with
the sole objective of providing free education to the poor and needy
children of the area. There are separate dormitories for girls and boys
that have tin roofs, but a lot is still left to be done to create a
conducive atmosphere for the children to grow up in.
The home has employed two teachers who
have volunteered their services and they receive a token amount from the
pastor from his own pocket.
“All expenses incurred in running the
home are borne by the pastor. He even pays the two teachers. It is a
trying condition. The home offers education till the eighth standard
after which the pastor uses his resources to get the kids admitted to
other schools for their higher education,” said Pritam Tamang, the
syndicate’s general secretary, who recollected pastor Rai as saying, “I
am sad when the children are sad and happy when they are happy. Seeing
people come forward to help gives me fresh impetus to carry on.
Extending support to the needy is part of the social responsibility the syndicate wants its members to inculcate.
“We lead a hectic lifestyle given our
job profile. But we want our members to remain motivated and their minds
focused towards social issues so that they are viewed as responsible
citizens,” said Tamang.
In the past too, the KMTS has
participated in environment protection causes such as planting of tree
saplings at the 3rd Mile area and intends to take up more such issues in
future proactively.(EOIC)
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