Sponsor the food and medical needs of a poor senior citizen by Abhoy Mission

Total number of beneficiaries impacted was 310 out of which 70% were females, in Binpara, Potunagar, Barjala of West Tripura District & Gokulnagar of Sepahijala District, Tripura

We have organised several distribution camps where the following materials are distributed: Rice, Pulse, Mustard Oil, Coconut Oil, Soyabin, Biscuits, Facial Soap, Blanket, Cloths and Pocket money. We have organised different Awareness Programmes on issues that the elderly face. The younger relatives who used to come to take the distributed materials are given advice to behave gently with their grandparents, to keep constant watch about their health and demands, to keep contact with the doctors for their treatment. Emphasize is given on the issue of physical and mental health of the grandparents. Besides these, we used to organise various cultural programmes to encourage the grandparents and they are also given opportunity to take part in the programme with joy. Sometimes we organise Medical Camp for medical checkup of the grandparents with the help of Medical Team and provide medical support on spot. Abhoy Mission is working for the welfare of the destitute and aged persons who are neglected in the family and the society. As a result of formation of nuclear family, the grandparents of the family are not treated with honour and dignity though the society needs their experience for the next generation. From the event of intervention of Give, a formidable change in their life has been observed. They are living with respect and dignity in the family.

Giria Bin is inhabitant of Binpara, West Bhubanban is the oldest beneficiary of this project. She is 92 years old woman. At the first sight, everybody will love her though she is burdened with age. The speaking ability of Giria Bin has been reduced and she is short in hearing. In spite of her old age state, she come to take the support holding the hand of her sister in law. When she was 14 years old, she got married. Her husband was a field worker. Her family was running with joy and happiness. Suddenly her husband passed away. After demise of her husband, she fell in great distress and started working as maidservant. She has six daughters and two sons. All of them got married and living separately. They are busy with themselves. Presently she is residing with her younger son. The support from Give India has given her security. When her husband was alive, they were well to do family. Now she is counting days when the support from Give India will come.

Abhoy Mission is providing outstanding service for all over rehabilitation to the destitute Elderly Persons since 1991 by setting up of Day Care Centre & Old Age Home. From 2003, Community Based Rehabilitation Programme has been undertaken by this organisation. The Organisation has felt it necessary to mobilize support to the elderly people of the family and society to uplift their position in the family and society so that they can live with holding their heads high. Not only this, but also this organisation has been conducting different sensitization programme in the last six months with a view to generating awareness of the Govt. Officials, PRIs, younger generations and the common people of the society. Apart from this, this organisation has been making close contact with the beneficiaries of the rural areas for generating awareness regarding their health, hygiene and betterment of their livelihood. Since January, February & March fall in winter season, they have been advised to take protection against the cold weather. They have also been inspired to take bath in warm water, sun bath and oil massage. The beneficiaries have been told to observe all festivals, small or great, so that the family bonding becomes stronger. They have also been advised to send their children to school regularly and keep close connection regarding their studies. The major events of the work are to distribute food grains, medicines and essential commodities and pocket money to the poor elderly people of the rural areas identified earlier. While distributing the same, we arrange for group discussion regarding health issues both physical and mental with the beneficiaries. Sometimes we organise cultural functions with participation of the beneficiaries with a view to entertaining themselves. Sweet dishes also provided to them from the organisation. In last 6 (six) months 540 elderly persons have been benefited. A good impact of the programme on the beneficiaries as well as on the society has been observed. Their livelihood has been changes into a better standard.

There is no barrier we have faced to run the programme. Our next plan for coming six months is to distribute the food grains, medical support, Hygiene, as usual, conduct awareness camp in those area for generating awareness regarding health, senitisation, Education etc., conduct Health Camp, organise cultural programme to develop their cultural attitude. Another important matter is that in rural areas they used to give marriage of their grandchildren very early. Abhoy Mission is also comes forward to create awareness against early marriage.

Smt. Giria Bin is an inhabitant of Binpara, West Bhubanban. She is 88 yrs. old. When she was 14 years old, she got married. Her husband was an agricultural field worker. Her family was running with joy and happiness. All of a sudden her husband passed away. This was a bolt from the blue. After the demise of her husband, she had fallen in great distress with her family members. Finding no other way she has started working as maidservant in other house. She has six daughters and two sons. All of them are got married. Her sons are living separately. She is staying with her elder son. Her elder son was working as a daily labour and his income is not sufficient to maintain their family and moreover she is also incapable to do work due to her old age problems. Her condition has become so worse that she cannot talk properly due to old age. She needs continuous advice of the doctor. But she cannot afford the expenditure to be involved in this account. As such she has fallen in severely ill gradually. She does not get any assistance from either administration or from any other source. Since Abhoy Mission is working for such old age person who are in distress if the family, identified her and felt appropriate for providing support to her so that she with her family may live in better condition. Abhoy Mission has come forward to execute the project launched by Give India. The support from Give India indeed has a formidable impact on her as well as her family which was striving for survival. She feels herself proud for the support. She can hand over something to her son and also can go to Doctor for treatment. As per guideline of Give India we have provided the following:- Rice. 5 Kg., Musur Dal 500 grm., Mustered Oil 250 ml., Soyabean 200 gms., Coconut Oil 100 ml., Lifebuoy Soap 1 No., and Cash Rs. 100/- for purchasing Medicine for each enrolled beneficiary. We also provide cloths, counseling and need based other support.

The program provides nutritional support and medical care to poor elderly people. We help distressed souls live a life without food scarcity. For the last two years as a consequence of the pandemic, the unorganized labor group has become more effective. The target group of this program belongs to the unorganized sector of employment. So, there were days when these old people and their family had no money to purchase essential items for survival. They only survived because of the regular support given by Give India through Abhoy Mission.

Abhoy Mission provides assistance to these senior citizens on or before every Bengali event so that these people can have good food during the festival. We even celebrate with them by arranging small programs at the distribution area where the elderly willingly participate.

Throughout these camps, we followed all safety measures for Covid-19.

Sometimes it was very difficult to reach the target group during the lockdown. With the permission of District Authority and the support of local bodies, we extended our assistance.

Because of the present economic condition, the prices of essential items got raised which made it very difficult to manage every item assigned for this program.

Sri Hiralal Bin, S/o- Ram Narayan Bin, was born in 1948 in Binpara. He has two brothers and one sister. His father was a mason and maintained his livelihood through that. Due to lack of financial support, he was not able to get his children educated. He has one son and one daughter. They both got married. At present Hiralal is living with his son in the family. He cannot work as he used to as got a stroke twice. He suffers from high blood pressure. He does not get any kind of help or support from any source.

Recently, Hiralal's health condition has not been good. Because of old age, he is not able to stand. During the pandemic, Hiralal’s son lost his regular income source due to constant lockdown for months. The support from Give India is a pillar of survival for Hiralal and his family.

The program is providing food and medical care to senior citizens who live below the poverty level. The aim of the program is to bring self-dignity in the mind of senior citizens. All families who get targeted are involved in occupations with very low income which is also irregular.Abhoy Mission through the support of Give India visits places at Bin Para, West Bhubanban; Potunagar, Barjala; Gopalnagar Tea Estate under Mohanpur RD Block of West Tripura District and Gakulnagar under Sepahijala District every month. The intention of the organization is to provide support as well as happiness to the senior citizens in this hard time of the pandemic. This support not only gives them a scope of survival but also a feeling of self-dignity in society. In these 6 months, 455 numbers of senior citizens got benefitted from this particular program through Abhoy Mission.This program for providing assistance to senior citizens is able to attain only with the support of Give India. Throughout these camps, we all sustained the safety measures for safeguarding from Corona infection that is prescribed by the Government of India. We are appreciative to Give India and their donors for whom it is been promising to accomplish a ray of hope to this most unprivileged group of society.

During this pandemic period and lockdown session, it was very much tough for the organization to organize such distribution programs regularly. But with Government permission and maintaining all the precautionary measures for safeguarding from Coronavirus infection we organized distribution programs on monthly basis.Along with this, the cost of every item is rising day by day due to inflation. The support giving is become challenging.

Impact story: Nityananda Biswas, son of late Jogendra Biswas lives in Binpara, Lankamura for many years. He was born in the year 1956 at West Bhubanban, West Tripura. He has two brothers and three sisters. His father was a rickshaw puller. But in spite of this, his father managed to send him to school to study. He studied up to class 10th and left the school. Then, he got a Government job as Caretaker at Governor House which he resigns after three years. After resigning he started to do daily laboring for earning his livelihood. He has one son and two daughters. All of them are married now. Due to old age now he is unable to do any physical activities. The whole family is run by his son who is a driver. His sons in his lean income can able to provide basic necessities of survival to him.Nityananda is suffering from low eyesight. He lost his vision in one eye and low vision in another with past discharge. He got an old-age pension which was not enough for taking regular treatment and nutritional supplements in this inflation period.In this lockdown period, the livelihood of every individual in rural areas is got lean. During this pandemic period, his son’s incomes become very negligence. They started agriculture activities in front of their house in 1 ghanda land. And sell this to nearby markets at a very low price. With this support from the whole family can able to take nutrients food for few days of every month.

The year 2020, means a huge havoc due to corona virus in most places of world. The pandemic not only kills people but also affects the resource, opportunity to work and the livelihood. The people who belong to the daily earning group, they lost almost everything
A house where the son is a daily laborer and go to work whatever he gets now have to stay in home or roams here and there in search of some work. In that house the old person feels the hopeless. The feeling gets aggravated due to their physical inability. They now lost their dignity and confidence they feel themselves as burden in the family.
In this cruel world, the Give India via Abhoy Mission upheld the light of hope for such people. The program is giving monthly support to this senior citizen to live a life in dignified way in their homes.
The organization goes monthly in some occasions as we all know in Bengali tradition there is festival in every month. With the due permission of Government of Tripura Abhoy Mission managed to reach to these elderly persons through distribution food and medical support so that they can take part in festival in free mind. These all can be made possible only by the initiative of Give India. During these camps we all maintained the safety measures that are prescribed by Government of India. The beneficiaries are from Bin para, West Bhubanban; Potunagar, Barjala; Gopalnagar Tea Estate under Mohanpur RD Block and Gakulnagar under Sepahijala District.
The camps are before organized in various occasions like in Bengali New Year 1427, then in Rathyatra ceremony time, Janmasthami, The Independence day ceremony and during Durga puja celebration. At that time this support will able the people who are receiving this sustain are capable to give something to their family and live a self-esteem life. We are grateful to Give India and their donors for whom it is been promising to attain this fragment of society by being a ray of hope.

Support & Change !

Cohesion within the family increased, Dignity of the elderly within the family as well as society revived. Grandchildren are most happy and got the most benefit as they are getting support from grand parents. Disturbances within the families disappeared.
The senior citizen mostly were daily wages earner for which they do not have any savings for their old age. Now, when they are financially and emotionally unable to do work for the livelihood, it become very much difficult to lead a healthy life. Their children are also have very low income for which it become very constrain to run the whole family. The people who are getting this support are able to give something to their family and live a dignity life. We are thankful to Give India and their donors for whom it is been possible to reach this section of society by being a ray of hope.

Program Update

With the effort of Abhoy Mission celebration of receiving Nation Award was performed along with the grans by calling them in the Head Office. The programme was also arranged keeping the view in aim in mind for making contact and smooth relation between officials of Head Office of Abhoy Mission and beneficiaries of Programme. The Sr. Citizens of Lankamura, Binpara celebrated Makar Sankranti in the month of January, 2019. They prepared sweets and distributed the same among the people. They observed Netaji’s birthday & Re-public Day with ferver. Local administration made arrangement for fruits and sweets for Sr. Citizens on the occasion of Re-public Day. They participated in Saraswati Puja with deity. They also observed Dol Purnima with respect. They have been advised by the authority of Abhoy Mission to engage in physical exercise to keep themselves fit.

Story from the field

Due to impoverished condition of family and existence of intergeneration gap among the family members, Kunja Nama, a beneficiary of ‘Sponsor the Food and Medical needs of a Poor Senior Citizen’ left her home on 21-03-2019 with a lot of grief in her mind. Due to police intervention she was provided temporary shelter and nutrition in Abhoy Ashram. Authority of Abhoy Mission extended counselling support to the family members and ultimately the family members agreed take her back within the family with due dignity. After few days the family members reached the office of Abhoy Mission and an unique scene of bondage between grandmother and grand daughter was noticed by the members and employee of Abhoy Mission. She returned her home near Pillar Company at Lankamura, Binpara and presently enjoying the company of family members.