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Para-swimmer lends helping hand to people, distributes ration kits and goods

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Shams Aalam  Para-swimmer  Para swimming  Bihar  Social work  Indian Muslims  Positive News



 

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NewsBits.in

NEW DELHI: When Coronavirus wreaked havoc in Bihar, para swimmer Shams Aalam and his friends including differently abled persons, decided to act and extend a helping hand to people.

From providing Oxygen cylinders and working to ensure that the patients got hospital beds, they started distributing ration kits and other objects of daily needs to the under-privilged people.

As cases came down sightly, they realised that the situation was still not well as a large number of people had suffered due to the economic impact and hence they continued it and their team, with the help of volunteers, is doing work in not just Bihar but other cities and states, as well.

"We are differently abled but we thought that our aim should be to do something, so that it can create more awareness. Our team that includes Tabinda Shaikh, Vibhas Sen, Javed Choudhari and a large number of volunteers have been involved in it. Social organisations are also supporting us", says Aalam, who was in Delhi distributing ration kits in Vasant Kunj, on Friday.

They got support from US Department of State Global Sports Mentoring Program. "Actually, after lockdown ended, conditions remain bad for a large number of people, particularly, the poor who lost jobs or couldn't get work, the daily wagers. We also focus more on the differently abled as they face major issues and we are aware of it", he says.

"Earlier, we worked in Madhubani. Tabinda is also associated with several social workers and organisations and this helped create this network". Now, the group is distributing masks, sanitizers, sanitary pads, kits and other goods, trying to reach different abled. As the work was seen, there was support too from different quarters. 

"The goods that are needed in daily lives were distributed, ration kits given in cities like Delhi, Mumbai and districts in many states. In Delhi, the work was also with the assistance of Uday foundation. Over 2,000 masks given by a company that were distributed free", says Alam, The who is an award winning swimmer a recepient of Bihar Khel Ratna award.

Hella India sponsored 1,000 masks and sanitizers to spread awareness. Other groups too sponsored or supported the drive, which gave them the motivation to expand the work. "We are disabled [differently abled] but when we believe in ourselves, we are able to do it. I feel that we must do whatever we can, for the betterment of society", he further says.