Over 60 members of the Salem Youth Wing team took a day off on Sunday and visited various parts of the city just to give the destitute and homeless a haircut and food.
The team bathed elderly and mentally challenged persons and provided first-aid for injuries. The team visited areas near old bus stand, District Collectorate and Seelanaickenpatti.
R. Pradeep, a member of the team, said that they have been conducting the activity for past several years and till date they have rehabilitated nearly six destitute to old age homes here. “The Salem Youth Team was started as an environmental organisation and we were initially into desilting water bodies and tree plantation here. Later, we decide to attend to the needs of destitutes in Salem. We have been providing food to nearly 70 underprivileged people every day and we have been conducting such personal hygiene activities once in a month,” said Mr. Pradeep.
He said that though they have managed to rehabilitate a few persons from streets to privately-run old age homes, a government-run old age home would help in improving their activities better. “Till date, we have managed to shift five to six persons from the streets to old age homes run by charitable organisations here. But, two of them have left even from those homes as they could not get along with the surroundings. There is a government-run night shelter here. But, a government run old age home would be the best option to ensure permanent rehabilitation for them and to attend to their needs”, said Mr. Pradeep.
He also said that they could not provide medical attention to the destitutes as government hospitals demand an attender with the patient at all times. “Many of them suffer serious illnesses and they are neither ready to shift to an old age home nor to a hospital. Even if they are convinced and taken to the hospital, they avoid admitting them as they request that a bystander should be there with the patient at all times”, said Mr. Pradeep.
Mr. Pradeep said that since members of the team are from different professions and students, they are not able to be bystanders at present hence they provide basic first aid to their wounds.