Sister Lissy Chakkalakkal: building 150 homes for students and needy
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Sister Lissy Chakkalakkal, ‘Our Ladies Convent Girl’s
School’, Thoppumpady, Kochi |
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Six years
ago, when Sister Lissy Chakkalakkal, Principal of ‘Our Ladies Convent Girl’s
School’, at Thoppumpady, Kochi, went on a routine visit to students’ homes, she may not have been aware
of the great responsibility that destiny and society would place on her soon
afterwards. What she saw was that one of
her students, who lost her father, was living without a home.
A practical-oriented
teacher, she sought all extra-curricular help in providing a house for that
student. She was helped in the effort
mainly by Lilly Paul, another teacher.
Soon she realized
that there were many such homeless students in her own school. So it became a house-providing challenge for
the entire school as students and teachers also pitched in with their trickles
of compassion. In terms of monetary contribution,
the share by each student may be miniscule, but it inculcates in them an
awareness of their fellow students and the underprivileged in society at large.
As the word
got around that Sister Lissy and the school at large are doing something noble
for the society, many more donors came forward. Thus, they have been able to provide functional
homes for 150 beneficiaries so far.
The houses
are built in 1 or 2 cents of land and cost around 6-10 lakhs each. Initially, the houses were built where plot
was available with the would-be beneficiaries.
However, of late, many willing hands have come forward to donate land
for the cause. So also, many skilled
workers like masons have come forward to help with their labour.
The project
is a teamwork of many sections of society, according to her. She dreams of a ‘homeless free’ society where
each one is under the protection of a roof of care.
Mathrubhumi, September 19, 2021
