This organisation serves lunch to pregnant women

A rural development organisation of Mandya district, which started with an one-day gesture of distributing sweets (ellu, bella) on Sankranti festival, on January 15, started distributing lunch to patients and their relatives on the premises of Mandya Institute of Medical Sciences (MIMS) Hospital, especially the Maternity division.

Mangala Yogish of Parisara Rural Development Society said, “When we distributed sweets on the festival on January 15, we realised that most of the patients and their care-takers were without food. We felt bad and thought of serving lunch to needy persons, visiting the Maternity division of MIMS Hospital. Thus, we floated ‘Mamatheya Madilu’, meaning ‘lap of an affectionate mother’. Now, we have crossed 200 days, without a break, with the support of donors and philanthropists.”

K P Aruna Kumari of the society said, “We created a WhatsApp group of like-minded people. Now, most of the members do not celebrate their birthdays, lavishly. Instead, they donate money to mark their own or their loved one’s birthdays. Besides, people donate money to mark special occasions like house warming ceremony, death anniversary and festivals.”

Yogish said, “Initially, we planned to serve lunch for 100 people every day. But, due to the support of donors, we extended to 300 members daily. Sometimes, donors themselves join us to serve food. Some of them add sweets to regular food.”

Aruna Kumari said, “I myself experienced that food is not served to all patients, when I was an inpatient in MIMS Hospital. Not all people can afford medical expenses, even though MIMS Hospital is a government institution. Besides, they have to bear travel expenses. Thus, some of them forego food. But, food is vital for good health. So, we thought of this initiative, with the help of donors.”

Yogish said, "Many people want to help the needy. They only need a platform. If people get a credible and reliable platform, they volunteer to do their mite. When we started, we wished to channelise left-over food from functions like marriages. But, left-over food used to reach us beyond lunch time."

"Besides, the quality of food from weddings was not suitable for patients and pregnant women. Thus, we prepare food in our own kitchen, to suit the needs of pregnant women,” he said.

Doctors and officials of the hospital said, “As MIMS Hospital is a government institution, free food and milk is provided to patients and pregnant women of certain sections of the society. Food cannot be provided to all inpatients. Help by organisations to help the needy is welcome.”

Parisara Rural Development Society also encourages blood donation and recognises the service of blood donors, by presenting saplings of a variety of plants and trees.