As many as 1,300 women volunteers of the Ashakiranam Dress Bank, an initiative launched by the Wayanad Social Service Society (WSSS), a non-governmental organisation in the district, have set a model in providing solace to hundreds of persons, especially tribespeople, by disbursing clothes free of cost to the needy for the past two years.
“This endeavour provides dresses primarily to poor cancer patients and needy community people. These dresses are collected from different houses. The clothes are serviceable but not useable for them and are kept in a room on the WSSS campus at Mananthavady. All the volunteers make the act a routine in a monthly schedule,” says Father Paul Koottala, executive director, WSSS.
“The dress bank is truly a need-based intervention of the WSSS and we see a good number of people come and get the benefit of the noble initiative”, Fr. Koottala said.
The idea occurred to some of the volunteers during their activities in a tribal hamlet when they realised that many members of the hamlet lacked proper clothing, especially women and children, he said. “We approved the idea and set up the dress bank at the WSSS campus to keep the clothes mobilised by the volunteers,” he said.
There is a log book kept at the dress bank to record the all the activities of the facility. Any needy person can come and take the clothes according to their requirement after mentioning the details in the log book. Similarly, anyone wishing to contribute clothes too can do so after entering the details in the log book.
“We have collected thousands of usable dresses and distributed them to the needy. Every month, volunteers bring clothes from their operational areas and expand these services to more poor people” says Father Jinoj Palathadathil, one of the directors of the WSSS.
Shoba Edayoorkunnu, a volunteer said, “I feel very happy for getting an opportunity to help those in need. People are donating with a positive mindset. This is, in a way, making changes in me and motivating me to involve more in this act”.
