Sopore: A Sopore-based non-governmental organization (NGO), “Pankhh – Let’s Fly Together”, which serves food during Sehri and Iftaar time at Baramulla district hospital and sub-district hospital Sopore has received widespread appreciation and support in Baramulla and Sopore town.
The NGO comprises of seven members which include Advocates, Businessmen and Government employees and all these members are funding the NGO’s Ramadan initiative, besides receiving the financial support from locals.
“Our NGO provides food and utensils during Sehri and Iftaar time particularly to those persons who come to the hospital in emergency. We have selected two locations for our Ramadan initiative, one is sub-district hospital Sopore and another is district hospital Baramulla,” said Mursaleen Mir, who is the President of NGO.
“We get the food prepared from our homes and then we pack it into small boxes, we also provide one water bottle along with the food packet,” he added.
Another NGO member who wished not to be named told ‘Kashmir Images’ that there are many people who have to visit the hospital for medical emergencies and that too during late hours. “Such patients and attendants have nothing to eat during Sehri and Iftaar time and taking into consideration such cases we have taken this Ramadan initiative,” said the NGO member
“From Iftaar to Sehri our NGO delivers some 300 food packets at the two hospitals and the demand is increasing day by day. During the first week of Ramadan we faced difficulties in arranging food for all those in need at the hospital due to low source of income but now we are receiving financial support from the society to run the Ramadan initiative smoothly,” the NGO member added.
‘Kashmir images’ also spoke to many volunteers who were serving the food during Iftaar time and they said, “We are happy to be part of such initiative.”
“I have been coming to the sub-district hospital Sopore from last many days to distribute the food among the patients and attendants,” said Mubashir Ahmad a resident of Sopore.
“When this initiative was started by the NGO, we were only five people to serve the food but now dozens of youth have joined us,” he added.
Patients and attendants expressed their gratitude over what they called as “humanitarian gesture of the NGO”. “The NGO has served us food from last many days, we would have not been able to eat anything during Sehri without the NGO’s help”, said Ali Mohd Yatoo an attendant at the district hospital Baramulla.
According to the members of NGO, the food packets being distributed by the NGO include edible like Biryani and also sugar and water bottles.
