Love and Compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive.- Dalai Lama
The Surakshit Dada Dadi Nana Nani Abhiyan is a collaborative effort between the NITI Aayog and Piramal Foundation to ensure the well-being of 2.9 million senior citizens during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In this programme, volunteers make phone calls to senior citizens in 25 Aspirational Districts in India and enquire about their well-being. They also spread awareness about the preventive measures to take during the pandemic. If the senior citizens have any grievances, they are registered and addressed at the earliest.
During the summer holidays, I came across this programme and decided to register as a volunteer. I made a hundred calls to senior citizens and enquired about their health, whether they had the necessities like food, water and medicines, and also asked if they had any specific medical problems like diabetes, hypertension and asthma. I ensured that the senior citizens were familiar with the appropriate safety measures to take during the pandemic.
This experience was one-of-a-kind and helped me understand the plight of these senior citizens, who are not as fortunate as the rest. I empathized with them and could feel their pain insecurities and concerns.
This experience helped me develop my communication skills in Hindi and gave me an opportunity to give back to the community. It was an experience that I will cherish as long as I live as I learned so many valuable lessons. I encourage everyone to participate in such programmes as it is not only gratifying for oneself but also enriches the lives of others.
Sukruta Kuchi – 9A