Bengaluru :
Every day, before the sun goes down, Khurrum Sheriff (22) and a bunch of other youngsters flock to the masjid at 3rd Cross, Benson Town. They wait for customers to arrive at their makeshift stall to break their fast. They dish out everything from piping hot samosas, spring rolls and biryani to juices and milk shakes, and ensure that all items are sold.
The money racked up from the sales doesn’t end up in their pockets, instead it’s handed over to the mother of a cancer patient.
This is how several residents of Benson Town, who ta ke turns to prepare food and sell it, are observing the holy month of Ramzan. And all this amid their work schedules.
It all started when Tasmeen Farzana Khan, counsellor at a government aided school, came to know about Sunandha R (name changed), a 13-year-old girl in her class suffering from blood cancer. “Sunandha’s father has passed away and her mother, who works as an attendant, is struggling to make ends meet. I learnt that the treatment costs around Rs 16 lakh. And it’s a challenge to keep Sunandha away from the fund-raising as she doesn’t know about her ailment,” she added.
When Tasmeen brought the issue to the Benson Town Youth Association’s notice, members came up with the idea of the stall.
The team comprises 17 members, say AS Nimra Khan (18), a PU student, and Sarah Yaseen (19), a college goer. “Every afternoon, we assemble at the basement of Sarah’s house to cook. We share the task of preparing different food items. By 5pm, we throw open the stall and sales go on till 7pm,” said Nimra.
Khurrum says the response to the initiative has been great and many volunteers have co me forward to offer monetary help. “The month of Ramzan is one wherein we have to donate whatever we can to the needy. Helping a cancer patient, we thou8ght, may be one of t he best ways to do that. We will carry out the exercise throughout the month,” he added.
Sunandha’s mother said she is overwhelmed by the support. “I just want my child to get relief,” she added.
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Bengaluru / by Rohith B R , TNN / July 02nd, 2015