Meet Molly: helping the needy
Recognising and helping the needy and reaching them with the right kind of support is the gift, which only a very few possess. Molly Varghese is one such person who helps in whichever way she could the needy that came to her notice.
“Social work is my passion and hobby. I love people smiling after a small service given to them – that makes my day”, says Molly who distributed more than 1400 free food kits, during lockdown, to the underprivileged not possessing a ration card. A former military nurse of lieutenant officer rank, she even visited the Tihar Jail, few years ago, to offer counselling sessions for the inmates.
Lockdown Food Kits
The very first day of lockdown she realized the hardships that the poor will undergo. “I could not sleep on March 24th the day of declaring lockdown because I knew them who will suffer and I realised they were in trouble.”
“So I called social work partner Sonu Suhail and explained everything to him. With Rs 5000 donated by my daughter and Rs 5000 by another friend, on March 25th we distributed 20 food kits worth Rs 700 among slum dwellers, the place where we earlier conducted classes for the beggar children.” The food kit contained essential items like rice, wheat flour, oil and dals.
Numbers increased, until June 8th, daily 30-40 food kits amounting to Rs 4.5 lakh got distributed. Taking notice of her efforts, ChildLine provided a vehicle to distribute the food kits. Even now a few families are being supported until they become stable.
First instance of helping the needy
Her first experience with social work began when a lady with two small children, a boy and a girl and a drunkard husband approached her. Molly helped the children get admission in renowned schools and now the boy graduated from DU and the girl is pursuing a nursing degree. “Since the children got daily guidance without fail they did not go astray. A help which later I understood was kind of social service.”
Finding a passion at 50
She became involved in social work at the age of 50, after fulfilling the duties of nurturing her only daughter. “At 50 years I had a conversation with Lord and I wanted to give back as I continued receiving blessings from Lord. ‘I said Lord “I am 50 now, all these years I spent time for my daughter and family. Give me something to do.”
Tihar Jail Visit
The first opportunity was the visit to the Tihar jail “Two years I heard their cries (some have convicted crimes too) and some yet to prove their innocence. After two years it was too much for me to take. It was too heavy to handle as they all prisoners waited for us as solace and to call their families. Prisoners’ family are the most affected because of the earning member and they get no support.”
How do you recognize the needy?
Finding the needy is very easy. It is my promise and a plea to Lord that no day should go without helping someone; even a smile will do. As I get the money I will find the needy. If we look around there are hundreds of needy. Guards, maids, beggars, women exploited by husbands and so on. People approach me not in big numbers, one or two in a month. People give money through the what app group called Care & share.
Family Support
The family supports. Husband, who works with a private firm, takes care of the accounting and daughter gives the financial support to help the needy.
What message do you convey to the readers on Gandhi Jayanthi?
Gandhiji said ‘be the change what you want to see in the world. So BE THE CHANGE unless we change nothing happens it is futile to expect others to change. Nothing is impossible if you have a passion.
Age is not a bar to study. If we study after a lot of experience in life it is a different feeling. In adult education, we study for the sake of learning. The real learning is real acquiring of knowledge.
Gandhi,a superhuman being, embraced everyone with his love irrespective of cast creed and class, and his used non-violence and peaceful approach. The teaching of Jesus Christ inspired him. Love, compassion, kindness and mercy are the virtues we need like Gandhi to see the human being as the children of one God.
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