For Subaida, a 60-year-old woman from Kollam, who made headlines after she sold her goats to raise money for the Chief Minister’s Distress Relief fund (CMDRF), this holy month will be special for more than one reason. She was all smiles on Wednesday when she received five goats in the place of the two she sold.

It was Anees Adam, a Malabar-based restaurateur and his partners, who sponsored the goats after they came to know about the incident. The goats were handed over to her by M. Mukesh, MLA, and District Collector B. Abdul Nasar on Wednesday.

Rented house

Subaida lives in a rented house and runs a modest tea stall attached to it at Sangamam Nagar, Port Kollam. Since the tea shop, the family’s main source of income, had remained closed during the lockdown, it was practically impossible for Subaida to make any contributions. “In the Chief Minister’s press conference I heard about several people, including children, contributing to the fund and I badly wanted to help. I was really upset as I could not figure out a way. Then someone came to buy the goats. I hesitated initially, but decided to sell them. My husband also encouraged me to contribute the money,” she said.

Since Subaida had no idea how to make the contribution, she went to the nearby police station to enquire. They directed her to the civil station where she handed over the money to Mr. Nasar.

Giving important

“I sold the goats since contributing to the CMDRF was more important and I was happy to do that,” added Subaida, who lives with her ailing husband and brother. Subaida’s gesture was acknowledged and lauded by people from all walks of life, including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.