KOCHI:  When it comes to helping those in need, even the tiniest contribution can be a blessing. This is what the students of Government Vocational Higher Secondary School at East Maradi in Muvattupuzha are proving by launching the ‘A Handful of Rice’ initiative. During the inaugural day of the initiative, the students collected 45 kg of rice and handed it over to two of their schoolmates.

According to Sameer Siddiqui, National Service Scheme (NSS) programme officer of the school, the initiative is being jointly implemented by the NSS unit and junior Red Cross unit of the school. “At present, high school, higher secondary and vocational higher secondary students are involved in the initiative. There are around 350 students in these sections,” said Sameer. 

Since this was the first time, not all students could participate, said the programme officer. “However, in the coming days, all students will get a chance to participate. The students have been asked to bring a handful of rice every Friday. The rice thus collected will be distributed among people who have been identified as beneficiaries,” he said. The first beneficiaries were two students from the school.

“Their mothers are undergoing treatment for cancer and have no other breadwinners in their families,” he said. Since the variety of rice being used in every family is different, it was collected in two parcels — the brown and the white variety.

“Even though we had asked students to bring just a handful, each child brought in a kg of rice. We have identified beneficiaries for the next round. For the next round, around seven families with members needing palliative care have been identified,” he said.