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The needy are always there.  Those willing to help too are there.  To link both is the vision of Nanma, an organization started at Kochi by P.Vijayan, an IPS officer. 

When people approach them for help, “we first make a preliminary inverstigation to ascertain the genuineness of the cases.  Once we are sure that they are deserving of help, we begin to look for people who can help them.  I’m now sure that there is a lot of goodness around; we only have to find them.”

Perhaps one praiseworthy efforts of Nanma has been in its multi-pronged attempt to ‘cleanse’ Udaya Cololy, where about 150 families live in miserable conditions.  The colony has been the breeding ground of crimes in the city.  Although many earlier attempts at bringing the residents to the mainstream had not been successful, Nanma decided to try its hand. 

The first hurdle they had to overcome was skepticism of the residents.  The sustained campaign here was focused on the children.  They needed to be educated, not merely in a conventional way, but by emphasizing on spotting their talents and guiding them through workshops and games.

More activities followed.  A regular medical camp at monthly intervals was organized.  Though the first camp was thinly attended, they went ahead and slowly won the confidence of the colony residents.  “We have gone a step beyond this, like providing livelihood by setting up public call booths.”

How did he get the idea of Nanma?  “Wherever I was posted, I have had numerous people come to me with all sorts of requests.  Most of them were genuine but I could do nothing.  I did try to console myself believing that it was not really my duty.  When posted in Kochi I decided to act as a link between the needy and those willing to help…  I will carry Nanma with me wherever I go from now on,” says Vijayan

Courtesy: K.Pradeep, The Hindu, April 22, 2007
Contributed by: Administrator

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