Serving thalassemia-affected kids, slum dwellers

Shiv Kumar Sharma

Shri Ganesh Entertainment and Humanity Services Society, an NGO, is working to highlight social issues, and help thalassemia-affected children and slum dwellers in Yamunanagar.

The NGO has so far made five documentaries on issues such as 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao', demonetisation, food wastage, on the life of martyr Rocky from Yamunanagar district and cruelty done by a daughter-in-law on her mother-in-law. The sixth documentary — ‘Don’t mix drink with driving’ — is under production and will be released on July 31.

It organises eye, dental and health check-up camps for slum dwellers, besides providing them food items (ration) from time to time.

The members of the society also organise blood donation camps in the Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital, Yamunanagar, to meet the requirement of blood of thalassemia-affected children. 

With the efforts of Dr Vijay Dahiya, Medical Superintendent, Mukand Lal District Civil Hospital, a special ward has been set up at the hospital for blood transfusion in thalassemia-affected children.

“I have been serving needy persons since my childhood and want to devote my life to society,” says Pankaj Arora, president of the NGO.

He adds that he is raising social issues by making documentaries. So far, he has made five documentaries. “My first documentary was on ‘Beti Bachao Beti Padhao’. I made it in 2009 after getting inspired by efforts being made by our Prime Minister Narendra Modi to save girl child,” says Pankaj.

He adds that his second documentary titled ‘Maa’ came out in 2016. It highlights cruelty done by a daughter-in-law upon her mother-in-law. “Later, I made documentaries on demonetisation, a good step taken by Prime Minister Modi to attack black money, on the life of martyr Rocky from Yamunanagar district who laid down his life fighting terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir, and food wastage and ways to save it,” adds Pankaj.

Dr Anil Aggarwal, a reputed surgeon of Jagadhri and patron of the NGO, says that serving slum dwellers living close to the railway station, Yamunanagar, is a noble cause. As the patron of the NGO, he had the opportunity to celebrate festivals such as Diwali and Holi with homeless children, who even didn’t have ‘roti’, ‘kapda’ and ‘makan’ (house). “Our NGO donated a hand pump to slum dwellers who although living on the banks of the Yamuna didn’t have access to drinking water. We are regularly organising free medical camps in slum areas and even distributing free medicines and eatables. We have organised blood donation camps for children suffering from thalassemia,” says Dr Aggarwal. 

Pankaj says that his NGO adopted this slum 'basti' in 2010 and since then had been organising eye, dental and health check-up camps for its residents every year.

“Besides celebrating festivals such as Diwali, Dasehra, and Holi with slum dwellers, we organise summer camps for their children every year,” says Pankaj.

Sarika Sharma and Deepika Seth, active members of the NGO, say that they have also been organising Mohammad Rafi Night since 2012. They add that during this six-day programme, plantation, blood donation, eye and dental check-up camps are also organised.

“On the last day of the programme on July 31, Mohammad Rafi Night is organised to remember this legendary singer. Singers from different cities of the country are called to perform at the programme,” say Sarika and Deepika.