Today, individuals are concerned about COVID 19 pandemic crisis and many of them run into a high degree of emotions and sometimes get into a feeling of ineffectiveness, helplessness, and frustration seeing the sufferings of people affected both directly and indirectly. It is a general tendency to say that we could have taken proactive steps to avert this severe crisis, but we failed. We could have planned well and could have taken measures to avert such a chaotic and highly complex situation. But the reality is that we must face the current reality. It is true that situations and circumstances make people reactive. People and institutions that are proactive will always say “ As we are all working for the noble cause of alleviating the miseries of the poor and suffering, let us join hands together and work with one vision ” People First”.

Tirunelveli Social Service Society (TSSS) is one such humanitarian organisation that looks positively into the future while addressing the current issues. Fr.Motcharajan – Director of TSSS,  Fr. Robin, Fr. Deepak, and Mr. Babu are registered as volunteers with Tirunelveli district administration and are recognised by issuing with  Special Identity Card. Seeing the grassroot connectivity and reach of TSSS, the District Collector Ms. Shilpa Prabhakar is optimising the humanitarian support rendered by TSSS.

TSSS has set apart  5 vehicles for emergency service on the request of District Administration to help commute patients from Government Hospital and other Private hospitals to reach their homes back after treatment. So far more than  140 patients were freely transferred to their respective homes after being discharged.  Reaching a newborn male baby along with his parents Paulkumar and Sivakalai at  Meingnanapuram near Sathankulam, Thoothukudi District, dropping the eight-member fire accident victim family of Moorthy at Vallioor from the Government Hospital and commuting Mr.Vishnuprasath  a TB patient to join his family in  Salaiputhur village, Kovilpatti Taluk from Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital are few notable interventions.

2 vehicles are specially allocated by TSSS to transport the poor and people in an emergency to their native districts. The vehicles have carried people as far as Chennai in Tamil Nadu and different parts of neighboring Kerala State as per the direction of  District Collector.

The organisation as on 13th May 2020 could reach out directly to 16000 population through 2 community kitchen and distribution of 2900 dry ration kits. In addition, 720 sanitizers and 550 hygiene kits that included masks are also distributed.

Doorstep delivery of essential drugs to patients by TSSS volunteers is widely acknowledged. At the peak of restrictions and confusion, the volunteers arranging food from Madhuram Hotel, Maharajanagar to the Doctors and Nurses who are working in Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital is noteworthy.

As Tamil Nadu State that is under lockdown since 24^th March is slowly relaxing the lockdown measures, it becomes more difficult to control the behaviour of individuals in the community. In order to make them aware of their self-protection and community wellbeing, they need to be properly oriented. To this end, District Administration has requested the support of TSSS. On the 14^th of May, awareness programme on COVID 19 by  15 members volunteer team of TSSS  was conducted at Palayamkottai Market Place. Non Formal Techniques like Folk Dance, Thappu, Street Play, Awareness songs, and slogans were used during this event that was inaugurated by  District Collector.  It is planned to continue this awareness programme every day in public places where there is a large community gathering.

‘I am happy to be of help to the people who are left with next to nothing during this crisis. Our volunteers, my likeminded fellow priests, the benevolent people, and the faith of district administration on TSSS are my real motivation’ said the untiring Fr. Motcharajan while interacting with Dr. John Arokiaraj, Manager, Caritas India.

10  TSSS volunteers led by Fr. Stalin, Fr. Joseph Rajan, Antony, and Nishanth are working in the collectorate call centre identifying the persons who come from other districts and states and facilitate quarantining them with the help of respective Village Administrative Officers. In each village 5 TSSS volunteers function as Watch Committee making it a strong force of 340 volunteers. TSSS is entrusted with surveillance of  68 village panchayats in  Nanguneri and Manur Blocks. Added to this TSSS has made available the Vaikarai Marriage Hall in Tirunelveli and  Valanar ITI situated in Kuruvikulam for quarantining the people.