For government employees, Sunday is a time to relax and spend time with family members, but not for Visakh C.

Even before dawn breaks in Vizianagaram, this government employee gets busy with cooking. He finishes well ahead of the lunch hour, packs the food in packets and sets out on his mission: to distribute them among the destitute, including persons with mental disabilities.

Started in Kerala

“I prepare food for 50 people every Sunday. It gives me satisfaction. I started the initiative, along with my wife Vaishnavi when I was in Kerala. She taught me to easily prepare food for a big group,” Mr. Visakh said.

What he started solo has become a movement now, as 130 railways employees have joined hands to use their free time to feed orphans and run a dedicated team called ‘Railway Team-Food for Poor.’

The railway officials, M. Kanakaraju, N. Jayasankar, A. Omkar Murthy, S. Dixit, and others, chalk out the action plan a week ahead.

Blood donation

Apart from distribution of food packets, the team also extends a helping hand to the needy in many other ways — be it supply of blankets to the people who sleep rough, on the pavement, setting up water purifiers at orphanages and so on. The team members also donate blood to patients in need. They maintain a WhatsApp group to ensure a quick response when patients need blood urgently.

“I never thought that my initiative would get such support from many top officials and colleagues. Their active participation is motivating many to come forward and spare their free time for charitable activities,” said Mr. Visakh.

Mr. Kanakaraju said that the association now was planning to extend health care support to the needy.

Every Sunday, the inmates of many orphanages and old-age homes eagerly wait for the team, as the members arrive to share happiness and offer some hours of companionship, apart from food packets.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by K. Srinivasa Rao / Vizianagaram – April 2th, 2018