Patna,(BiharTimes): A group of 8,100 elderly destitute people from three flood devastated districts of Supaul, Darbhanga and Madhubani have, in a unique way, raised over Rs 5.40 lakh for Uttarakhand flood victims.
They were themselves victims of devastating floods, especially from river Kosi and hoped that this gesture will “repay the debt” to society which helped them overcome the natural disaster in 2008.
With little donation box in hands they went in groups from door to door and from street to street in remote villages collecting from Re one to Rs 150.
They collected the amount in the four weeks period between July 20 and August 13.
These 8,100 elders from 557 Elder Self Help Groups (ESHG) of HelpAge India raised the amount, which would be used for its Uttarakhand relief and rehabilitation initiative.
The ESHG members are mostly farmers, who had suffered severe loss of property in 2008 Bihar floods and were recipients of HelpAge relief themselves.
"It was a marathon effort in a space of barely four weeks I am truly humbled by this experience," Rajeshwar Devarakonda, Head of Social Protection and Emergencies, HelpAge India, was quoted by the PTI as saying.
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