Suhail Khan
The corona virus pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have affected us in many ways, but it has affected the poor and the marginalized sections of the society the most. It has resulted in an economic crisis, resulting in loss of livelihoods of daily wage workers and migrant laborers. Thousands have lost their jobs and a result such people are not able to run their families.
During this pandemic, NGOs from across the valley have come forward to help the needy of our society by providing food, medical facilities and other essential items.
One such organization is Delhi-based Being Heart Foundation, which is helping the needy here in Kashmir. In Jammu and Kashmir, the operations are handled by three cousins who hail from Sopore and their work is receiving a good response from various corners of the Kashmir.
Peerzada Imad ul Haq, 19 is assisted by his two cousins Shahid Shareef and Sakib Mir to carry out this humanitarian work in Kashmir.
“We started our work in March 2021 and since then a lot of families received assistance through this NGO. We helped several families in the marriage of their children. We provided food to the needy in his pandemic; the organization is distributing essentials items including masks, gloves, sanitizers, as well as sanitary napkins,” Imad said.
He said that at present, being Heart Foundation is helping sick and covid patients with healthcare and education, and claims to have impacted hundreds of families.
“Right now, we are providing free oxygen cylinders, free medicines and free ambulances to the patients in need. And it is free of cost; we are not charging the patients any amount for using our oxygen cylinders. We are there to help our people and we take it as our duty,”Peerzada added.
As the corona virus cases began to soar in Kashmir, Imad and his expert team designed a strategy to reach out to the needy and daily wage workers impacted by the lockdown.
And within few days they provided assistance to hundreds of the families and are dedicated to assistance to hundreds of others in need.
Being Heart Foundation is an NGO that is involved in promoting the welfare of the economically backward sections of the society by generating employment across various sectors.
“Earlier we had few deserving girls whose parents were not able to get them married. We provided them with all the food items needed for the wazwan. We held Ramadhan food donation throughout the holy month and reached to the needy ones and provided them with food at their doorsteps. Also ahead of Eid, we distributed clothes among the orphans at Handwara and Langate,” Imad said.
The NGO is also working in the education sector.
Imad said that students who are in need of books or want to pay their admission fee but can’t afford to pay are being taken care of the NGO.
“In Kashmir, we are providing educational as well as financial help to the student community. We don’t want anyone to suffer due to non availability of school fee, admission fee or the books,” Peerzada added.
Believes that unless members of the civil society are involved proactively in the process of development, sustainable change will not happen. Believing in this principle of ‘Civic Driven Change’, Being Heart Foundation sensitizes the civil society in order to make them partners in its mission.
