Time and again, we have come across stories where people have come together and helped someone in need.
This particularly holds true in Kerala, where once the entire state stood vigil and cleared all the traffic blockages for an ambulance to reach a particular hospital, and another time when few villages raised funds for the treatment of their Tamil ironing man. You can read the stories here.
But how six-year-old Rithwin from Perambra, Kozhikode found adequate funding for his blood cancer treatment does not just epitomise the power of unity and solidarity in but also reinstates our faith in humanity.
One could quite literally say that the entire region came forward to raise ₹12 lakh for the standard one student.
From bus staff and students to teachers and even PTA members from Rithwin’s alma mater, Naduvannur South AMUP school, everyone in the area who knew about his medical condition, volunteered to conduct a money collection drive.
The initiative was taken forward through 24 buses operating on Kuttiadi-Kozhikode route on Tuesday, whose owners and staff volunteered to set aside a day’s earnings for Rithwin’s treatment.
Upon realising his father, Mundoth Korothmeethal Rajeesh’s difficulty in raising such a huge amount, it was Rithwin’s school that had approached Benazir Riyas, an alumnus and the treasurer of the Kuttiadi-Kozhikode Bus Owners’ Confederation (KKBOC).
Riyas, who is a bus owner himself, had readily agreed to put 10 of his buses for the cause. After the news started spreading, many other bus owners also evinced interest to be part of the collection drive and joined the novel initiative.
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What could be most endearing is the fact that most passengers refused to take back the change for their bus fare, once they came to know about Rithwin’s story. All the 24 buses had a huge poster citing his condition along with the photo of the young one to garner public attention at bus stands and stops.
Ten buses of Sigma, three buses of Sreegokulam, Anu, Diya, Miya, Deepam, Mookambika, Sea pearl, Nashwa, White Rose, BTC and Silverstone buses gave a day’s revenue for the cause. Even auto-rickshaw drivers in the region came forward and donated some amount of money.
Because of the united act of kindness by people of Perambra, Rithwin can now have an uninterrupted course of treatment and probably, live long to tell the tale.
(Edited by Vinayak Hegde)
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