Place: Imphal west District, Manipur State–India
Introduction:
Leprosy is disease which effects mainly fingers and toes and the persons affected with it are unable to do any work including taking food as the primary holding organs, fingers are in deformed condition. Curing is a very slow process and may take many years. Although it may not be true but it is considered as contagious and society will treat these patients as separate and they do not dare to come to the main stream of civilized world. As a human being and fellow Indian, it is the minimum responsibility to help these lepers whatever way that is within means.
Initiation and Positive Thinking:
Sagolband Sathya Sai Seva Center is one of the four centers of Imphal West District in Manipur State and Its Prayer hall is situated at Kwakeithel, Mayaikoibi, about 3 km from Imphal with around 300 devotees under its primary membership. Holding of regular spiritual, Educational and Service activities is a routine programme of the center. One Service Project namely, the monthly Narayan Seva (distribution of food items it is named as Amrutha Kalasam in Sanskrit language) to the inmates of Leprosy Home at Lei Ingkhol, Imphal has been taken up by the volunteers.
Step into Action:
On 15th February, 2012 some active workers of the Sathya Sai Service center paid a visit to the inmates of the Leprosy Home under the programme – visit to the Hospital and they could discover five Leprosy Patients in one of the wards of the erstwhile Leprosy Hospital under the Government of Manipur. The inmates residing in the ward were abandoned by the Health Department of the State as the State Leprosy Eradication Programme was over and that the patients were fully cured as claimed by the Government. The discovered patients were
Pity Situation:
Some of these patients have their own near relatives. However, they could not keep them under their care because of the social stigma and the patients’ own fear that the disease might spread to their own relatives even though the Government claimed that the disease had been eradicated. The patients (except one male, who could earn something by making MORA, Local name of some type of stool) could not earn their livelihood most of their fingers and toes were lost. Their conditions were very pathetic as they could get not just enough two square meals from the food provisions offered by the nearby church. The active workers of the Sathya Sai center came forward to provide some food items every month from February, 2012 onward so long as they were alive.
Distribution of Food items (Amrutha Kalasham):
The food items and daily needed materials given to each of the five patients (now only four) included.
- 5 kg of Meitei rice (Superior quality)
- 1 kg of gram (Dal)
- 1 kg of salt
- 1/2 litre of edible oil
- 1 packet of Candle with match boxes
- 1 packet of milk powder with 1 packet of tea leaves and 1 kg of Sugar
- ½ kg of washing powder
- Some Fresh vegetables.
Impact of the Service:
The inmates of the Home were very much pleased at such selfless service of the Sathya Sai Volunteers and this noble activity also inspired the active workers of other Sathya Sai Service centers to join hands or to perform similar service projects. The patients are always thankful to Sri Sathya Sai Baba for getting such valuable help through the active workers of the center.
Concluding Remarks:
The devotees of Sagolband Sathya Sai center showed their gratitude to Sri Sathya Sai Baba for enabling them to take up the project and further pray to God to continue them to contribute their little might to these unfortunate inmates up to the end of their lives. The Project was started on 15th February, 2012 and determined to continue up to the life times of the inmates.
Project Coordinator: Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation-Manipur
Contact Persons:
Sri K. Joy Singh, Service Coordinator of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, Manipur. Mail ID: k.joysingh@yahoo.com
Sri Kh. Ibocha Singh Convenor, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi, Sagolband
Sri Heisnam Manihar Singh, State President, Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation-Manipur, Mail Id: maniharheisnam@yahoo.com
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