Give to those who need when they need it

CHENNAI: Service to humanity is service to God. This was the message conveyed at a function organised by the Madras School of Social Work. Presents to the needy and deprived were given at this function organised to mark Christmas. The beneficiaries of the gifts were chosen by the student project groups of the MSSW over the course of their field work with various interest groups.The beneficiaries included both individuals and representatives of social service organisations and NGOs. They included transgenders, HIV+ children, children of convicts and cancer patients, pavement dwellers and families affected by  rains. They were presented  articles such as clothes, food  items, toiletries, stationery and books among others.The students also performed skits, street plays and songs highlighting the problems and travails of the interest groups they had studied and worked with. They appealed for compassion for these deprived people.“Love others more than you love yourself. That is the message in almost all the world’s religions. But how many of us follow that? How many of us asked our neighbours how they are doing this morning?” asked G Ahmed Sherif, partner at Brilliant Leather Company, who was the chief guest at the function.“It is easy to speak all these things. But not many do anything other than speak. That’s why efforts such as these need to be lauded,” said Sherif, a distinguished member of the Lions Club. Using a story from the Mahabharata, involving Karna, to underline his point, Sherif added, “It is important to give to those who need. What is the good of giving if you are not going to give to those when they need it. The time to give to those who need is always now.”MSSW principal and secretary Fathima Vasanth, MSSW SF courses coordinator Sheela Julius and CD Jose, president of SSER at MSSW were among those who took part at the function at the MSSW campus.