Mluru Cheshire Home- A Home Away from Home for 21 Disabled Folks Celebrates ‘Founder’s Day’
53rd “Founder’s Day” of Mangalore Cheshire Home serving 21 People with Disabilities was celebrated with Dignity and Pride, on 28 September 2018 at the Cheshire Home Hall, at 5 pm.
Mangaluru: The Mangalore Cheshire Home (MCH) celebrated the “53rd Founder’s Day” of Mangalore Cheshire Home on Friday, 28th September at 5 pm at their Home Hall, thereby taking pride in renewing its commitment to serve the disabled and include them in the mainstream society. Thanks to the dear donors and well-wishers, and also due to the dedicated, committed and service-oriented “young” members, Mangalore Cheshire Home has reached greater heights in serving and creating opportunities for people with disabilities.
It is should be noted that Cheshire Homes have been serving people with several disabilities, making them realize the skills they are unaware of and striving to make them self-sufficient by teaching them. And here at MCH, the 21 inmates are taught to work on things like Glass and Fabric painting, Envelope and making of paper bags, making brooms, gardening and cultivating vegetables, Greeting cards for all the occasions, Tailoring and even to work on Computers- and also train them in co-curricular activities, including music and dance. And their hidden talents developed at the MCH were unleashed during the “Founder’s Day” function.
This has been made possible through the solidarity of countless friends. The Mangalore Chapter of the Cheshire Homes India, started on 7 August 1965 when service-minded citizens of Mangaluru inspired by the noble ideas of Lord Cheshire, set up a Home for the rehabilitation of twelve burnt out Hansen women abandoned by society and their families, due to the stigma attached to the disease. It was a matter of great pride for the Home that Lord Cheshire himself inaugurated the first wing housing 12 inmates, which has now 21 inmates, taken good care with love and solace.
The programme began with a bevy of differently-abled inmates of the house welcoming the gathering with a prayer song, followed by a welcome, which reflected their enthusiasm, despite their disabilities, and received a loud applaud from the audience. Wilma Aranha-Chairperson of MCH welcomed the dignitaries on the dais and the audience, and gave a brief description of Miracle of the MCH and its activities saying, “As we celebrate the 53rd Founder’s Day of MCH, our hearts are filled with Joy and satisfaction in the wonderful work we are involved with. We thank our mentors who have shown us the way to love and care for those who are waiting at the threshold to receive it. Working with the differently- Abled is an experience by itself. No recreation will bring you this happiness which we get by serving the very special people of God”
She further said, “Regarding Leonard, he had envisaged opportunities and facilities for the disabled residents to engage themselves and become useful or fitted for employment by suitable treatment. He could foresee the dignity and self respect a disabled person would enjoy when he/she becomes economically self-reliant and can lead a life of dignity. He had a deep understanding of Indian culture and love for India. He had remarkable wisdom in the rehabilitation of the disabled people of this country. At Mangalore Cheshire Home we are taking good care of the inmates, even though we have not been receiving the stipulated grants for the past eight years from the government, but still we are able to carry on with the support given to us by the generous public. We thank all those who have supported us throughout the years which has helped the Mangalore Cheshire Home to reach the 53rd milestone with dignity and pride, where we serve the 21 inmates with love, care and solace “.
The celebration marked with the garlanding of the portrait of Captain Leonard Cheshire-Founder of Cheshire Homes Fraternity, (Portrait of Capt Leonard Cheshire was an artwork done by Mrs Wilma Aranha), and also by lighting the traditional lamp by Chief Guest Ms Yamuna D- District Disabled Welfare Officer-Zilla Panchayat-Mangaluru ( in the absence of DC Sasikanth Senthil, who couldn’t make it due to some other engagement), along with Chairperson Ms Wilma Aranha, Ms Hazel Colaco- Secretary and Sr Magadelene- In-Charge of Cheshire Home.
Addressing the audience, Bishop Aloysius Paul D’souza said, “The concern of every religion and every community is to eradicate poverty. We Christians, have a special mission and responsibility in this regard. Christians should join hands with people of other religions too to wipe out poverty prevailing in the society. Every person, especially the poor in the society deserves respect and dignity. Jesus had great love and concern for the poor, it is also mentioned in the Bible that the poor, sick and marginalized are very close to Jesus. We should respect every person especially the poor and treat them equally and not discriminate them. We should inspire and motivate all to work for the poor. These 21 residents have found a new home at Cheshire Home, and are lucky to get all the love and caring. The training and other co-curricular activities being taught to these inmates by the committee members, caretakers and other volunteers needs to be commended and appreciated. Service to the poor is like doing God’s work, and we should all appreciate and commend Mangalore Cheshire Home for their tremendous service and love towards the less privileged, and may God bless its residents, management and staff”.
The elaborate Annual Report of the Home was read by Ms Hazel Colaco, followed by Chief Guest’s speech, where Ms Yamuna D said, “When I was invited to be the guest of honor for this occasion I was simply overwhelmed because I always wanted to express my thoughts on this Home, but when I came here today I was still more thrilled and overwhelmed to see the Home inmates full of enthusiasm, and all dressed for the big occasion. It is really heart warming to note that generous people are extending their helping hand to this Home, since people with disabilities need love, care and attention from others. And I am sure that these 21 inmates are getting all the love, care and needed facilities here. We need to thank the generous benefactors who never cease to help this Home and its inmates, which is the biggest commitment to the society. I wish this Home under the care of dedicated, committed and hardworking MCH members and volunteers reach greater heights and serve those needy disabled people”.
A humane gesture of the people who visit the place was also seen during the Founder’s Day celebrations, where a number of people came forward to help the Home with their small contributions for the successful running of the house- and these kind donors were presented with a rose and a group snap for sweet memories. MCH also appreciated the support and wide coverage given by Mangalorean.com all these years, and ‘Yours Truly” was honored with a rose by the Chairman- and that meant a lot! The vote of thanks was proposed by Ms Dorothy Vas- the Vice Chairperson and the function was professionally compered by Ms Shobha Shetty-Treasurer of the MCH respectively. A skit on keeping the Environment Green and Saving the Trees was enacted by the MCH inmates, which received a loud applaud from the audience. F M Lobo and his music group gave a musical entertainment prior to the formal function, and a booth was set up where items made by the inmates were for sale- and many patronized by buying the unique things.
In conclusion, now that Cheshire Home-Mangaluru has successfully completed 53 years, they still need the support from the public/well-wishers to continue with their mission to serve the less fortunate/disabled-so let’s donate generously towards this Home, so that they can continue with the good work that they are all entrusted with. The joy of being able to bless and give someone you love and care, and to make them smile, is priceless. The satisfaction that comes from making a difference in the lives of others cannot be overstated. Knowing that you have helped make someone else’s life a little brighter and better is a special feeling, and one that will last with you for a long time. And in our world of plenty we can spread a smile of joy.
“Do not forget the doing of good and the sharing of things with others, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” (Hebrews 13:16). “We are the world. We are the children. We are the ones who make a brighter day. We’re all part of God’s great big family. And the truth is that love is all we need. So let’s start giving, for it’s true, we’ll make a better day. Just you and me.” – These thought-provoking lyrics by the late pop-star Michael Jackson from the song “We Are the World” are quite befitting here. Show Mangalore Cheshire Home that you care. Yes, we all can do it if we make up our mind. If you are looking for a way to enhance your act of sharing and giving experience, try giving back now- and contribute to Mangalore Cheshire Home.
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For more details of Mangalore Cheshire Home and how you can support the Home please call 0824-2430468 (O); 9480958541 (Chairperson-Wilma Aranha); 9448457332 (Hon.Secretary-Hazel Colaco)
