INDIA: Charity begins at home

. MUMBAI, Maharashtra / The Times of India / Dombivli-Kalyan Plus / July 25, 2009 By Salim Dolare A visit to Matoshri Ashram near Khadavli station will move the stoutest of hearts. Many of the inmates of the old age home have to fend for themselves, having been abandoned by their children and left to spend the remainder of their lives in the Ashram. Established in 1998, the Ashram is run by a NGO Jeevan Sandhya Manglya Sansthan. Most of the inmates are referred by Dignity Foundation, which scrutinises the background of each person before admission. At present there are 44 female and 33 male inmates and few among them are couples. Of these, 50 per cent inmates live free of charge while the children of the remaining inmates pay Rs 1,500 a person as monthly charges. Children of these inmates come to visit them twice or thrice a year or just keep in touch over the phone. Related multimedia All the inmates are so attached to each other that they never think of returning to their children. "I am here since the last eight years. I was lonely and led a miserable life being afflicted by many diseases. I have found an extended family here. I help the management in whatever work they give me and this keeps me busy," says 73-year-old Basuraj from Karnataka. Every inmate has something to do; no one sits idle. Women cook, sew and knit whereas men look after purchases, gardening and taking care of their sick and disabled inmates. Whenever any inmate is hospitalised, other inmates take turn in staying at the hospital. Most of the people who come for charity work spend the whole day and keep coming back. "Dr Anjali Ghamele looks after the health of all the inmates free of charge and visits the Ashram regularly to be with the inmates. Her hospital in Kalyan is like a home to our inmates. She has prepared a file of health care and medicines of the inmates. In case of emergency, she visits the Ashram and drives them to her hospital. Dr Anjali and her husband Dr Ashok Ghamele are a great help to these old and sick inmates," says Susil Chedda, the doctor and caretaker of the ashram. The Ashram has many high risk inmates who need expensive medicines to survive. It is in constant need of grains, toiletries and other items of daily use. [rc] Copyright 2009© Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd