A Jharia based private tutor Pinaki Roy, engaged in providing free education to around 200 coal picker children of different slums near the collieries, has started distributing food packets at his student’s doorsteps to prevent any drop out during the pandemic.
Roy, who also runs an NGO Institution of National Amity, began the distribution drive on May 24 from one of most poverty stricken slums Dipu Dhauda situated near the Golakdih colliery area and later carried out kit distribution at Sahana Pahari locality, Chandmari Colliery.
Each packet contains 7 kg of flour, 2kg of pulses, one kg of sugar, ½ kg of mustard oil, 2 kg of potato, one bathing shop and one washable mask.
“I started the drive during the first wave of pandemic in June 2020 and distributed around 403 food packets and this year we have distributed 60 food packets during the drive which began on May 24 and around 80 more packets are ready for distribution,” he said.
Roy receives help from some of his neighbours in packing and distributing the packets.
“As the parents of these children often struggle to keep their body and soul together due to penury, we always struggle to convince them to keep sending their children for tuition classes,” said Roy.
“The food distribution being carried out with the financial help of some of my friends, including Dr Horst Schulmayer of Germany and a Delhi based Supreme Court lawyer, and is aimed at helping the family of our students wade through this difficult time,” said Roy an alumnus of Vishva Bharti University.
“The occasion, however also provides us opportunity to convince their parents about the significance of education and also to allow their children to spare time for learning instead of compelling their children to work with them,” he said and added that the parents of who remain busy with their work at other times generally sit idle during lockdown and thus listen patiently.
“We will be carrying out a similar drive in another slum, Lilori Pathra near Ghanudih area of Jharia this evening,” he said.
