Kochi, Aug 5 (PTI) Two children from nearby Kakkanad reached the Infopark police station here on Sunday and handed over Rs 2,500 to the Station House Officer donating their small savings to the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund.
Donations continued to pour in for the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief Fund (CMDRF) for Wayanad, which was hit by devastating landslides on July 30.
Numerous such stories of children and common people sharing their small savings to help those who lost everything in Wayanad following the devastating landslides triggered by torrential rains, are being shared on social media.
These small yet significant acts of kindness on behalf of several children inspire many to help those in need.
Ten-year-old Shreya reached the Thrissur Collectorate on August 2 and donated Rs 12,500, which she got after selling her earring.
“I saw a lot of news stories in which children of my age were suffering in the landslide. I wanted to help them. My mother allowed me to sell the earrings, and we came to donate the amount to the CMDRF,” she told a TV channel.
Eighth standard student Aiysha from Paravur in Ernakulam, broke open her piggy bank, which she had kept to purchase a sports bicycle.
She said it was not possible for her to go there and help them, but all she could do was share whatever there was with her.
“I can buy a bicycle later. But there are many children of my age suffering,” she said.
In Kasaragod, the DYFI, the youth wing of the ruling CPI(M) has opened a tea stall and said all the earnings will go to the CMDRF.
The DYFI is also doing a scrap challenge, collecting scrap materials from households and raising money for Wayanad.
A woman, Girija, from Malappuram district handed over her scooter to the DYFI to raise funds for the CMDRF.
In another heartwarming incident, three Oxford students–Milllie, Charlotte and Amelia– who are in Kerala doing an internship in a mind and brain institute at Thrissur made a video and posted it on social media, seeking donations towards the CMDRF.
“We love this place and its people, and there is a lot that the world can learn from Kerala. It’s known for its social equality, literacy, female empowerment, better living conditions and health status,” they said.
Another video of a group of children from a school in Tamil Nadu holding placards asking to help Wayanad has also gone viral.
The tinsel world is also generous in their donations.
Apart from Malayalam movie actors, Telugu superstar Allu Arjun donated Rs 25 lakh, while top actor Chiranjeevi and his son Ram Charan together donated Rs one crore to the fund.
Musician Stephen Devassy has given Rs 10 lakh while the Kerala Folklore Academy donated Rs five lakh.
The donations to the CMDRF are flowing despite a smear online campaign by certain people against donating to it.
Kerala police have registered over 40 cases across Kerala and arrested a few for allegedly spreading fake news against the Fund.
The opposition Congress-led UDF had on Sunday extended its full support to the ruling Left and said all its MLAs will donate their one month salary to the relief fund.
All the Left MLAs and MPs have also pledged one month’s salary for rehabilitation work.
Numerous personalities and organisations, including the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, actor Mohanlal, and others, have pledged to construct houses for the survivors of the devastating landslides. PTI RRT RRT SS
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