Walter Nandalike

Founder, Daijiworld Group of Media

Mangaluru, Apr 13: The 'Naavu Nimmondige' - 'We are with you' campaign initiated by Daijiworld Group of Media last week to reach out to needy families around coastal Karnataka amidst coronavirus lockdown has received tremendous response from all corners.

At the time of launching the campaign, we expected to reach out to around 100-200 families, but even though the campaign's first phase ended on Thursday April 9, we are still getting calls and reaching out to the needy. So far, over 3,000 calls have been received during LIVE shows, on our helpline WhatsApp number, and other direct numbers. We have been able to assist nearly 2,500 families sofar with grocery kits, medicines, and other kind of help. We are still in the process of delivering remaining requests.

Though we had not requested for financial help, generous people from all over the world including locally in Mangaluru and Udupi have offered donations. But we have asked them to support the needy by directly getting in touch with them. Many donors wanted to provide kits, and we asked them to send money to grocery vendors to do the needful in this regard. Our team and volunteers have distributed the kits. This kind of response to live TV show was unprecedented.

We regret that we could not attend to all the calls, could not answer all the messages, and also could not reach out to all the needy people who approached us. Due to geographical distances, lack of volunteers in some places and other logistic reasons, we could fulfill our committment to only 80% of the callers. We hope our readers/viewers understand our limitations.

This kind of response and outreach has been possible only due to the selfless and persistent efforts put in by over 50 volunteers, individuals, NGOs and people's representatives across the districts.

Some highlights of the campaign:

1. A 75-year-old man from Balkunje near Kinnigoli badly needed medicine. His aged wife was bed-ridden. We did not have any volunteers in that area, but after watching our show live, a person named Richard from Elinje immediately called us and supplied the medicines to the couple the very next morning.

2. A man called us on live show requesting milk for his infant. The baby had gone without milk for two days. After watching our show live, Stany Alvares supplied milk to the family within 30 minutes of the call.

3. A man living alone in Yeyyadi had no food for two days. After watching our show on TV, his kind-hearted neighbour in the next building went to his house with food for the next few days.

4. A man said to have been living only on drinking water for over a day immediately received meals and other grocery items from a neighbour who was also watching the show.

5. A group of 10 young members from Vamanjoor responded to Daijiworld's campaign by distributing kits sponsored from their own money. Even now they are refusing to disclose their identity, but continue to distribute kits to the needy.

6. A 9th standard girl named Rovina Moras from Kulshekar used her pocket money of Rs 1,700 to distribute urgent medicines to a lady in the same locality after watching her request call on our live show. The next day, Naveen Kadri, another Daijiworld viewer, on learning about Rovina's kind gesture, announced a reward for her and also offered to help the other needy.

7. Daijiworld TV has acted as a messenger between the needy and the donors, but as the show went on, looking at the pouring requests, calls and difficulties of the needy, Daijiworld staff members (though Daijiworld is currently working with only 50% capacity) volunteered to deliver the kits themselves to needy families.

8. Ashok Kumar from Kuthar, who was jobless since the lockdown, needed Rs 10,000 to treat his ailing family members. Mohammed Ali from Abu Dhabi, on watching our LIVE show, responded immediately and offered to cover Ashok's medical expenses for two months. The promise was fulfilled the very next day.

9. Daijiworld viewer Alwyn Sequeira from Mumbai sponsored 100 kits by transfering the amount direct to a grocery vendor. Similarly, a businessman from Doha, who wants to remain anonymous, and another person from Australia, who also wishes to remain anonymous, spontaneously sponsored 100 kits each for the needy. Stany Baretto from Mangalore, Sunny Robert Dsilva, Australia donated directly to the causes to the tune of Rs 50,000 each. Felix Dsilva Mangalore donated Rs 25,000 for kits and many other directly transfered the amount between 5,000 to 10,000 directly to the needy families. Ganesh Rao, founder of Karavali Group of Institutes offered 50 grocery kits, Goldie Valencia 100 kits.

10. A woman from Vittal called us during the show and said, "I am very poor, but looking at the difficulty of others I will donate Rs 2,000. That is all I can afford." This heart-touching offer prompted many other viewers to come forward to help.

11. Four donors provided 100 kg each rice, and Eric Miranda from Kulshekar offered 170 coconuts, followed by Boniface Menezes who offered 100 coconuts, and 50 more by another person. We have decided to donate these to White Doves as they are providing meals to over 2,000 destitute every day during this difficult lockdown period.

12. Looking at the enthusiasm of our team members and the response to the campaign, Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath offered his support and immediately recommended passes to our team members. This has helped our team to move about and deliver the kits without any problem. We thank our MLA for his spontaneous help.

13. We have tied up with 'AltMed' team which home-delivers medicines. This has enabled us to reach people in need of medicines within the city limits.

14. MRPL staff association too has supported our cause, with its representatives participating in our LIVE show. Over 200 kits have been distributed through their contribution and initiative.

15. District in-charge minister Kota Srinivas Poojary, Moodbidri MLA Umanath Kotian, Mangaluru (Ullal) MLA U T Khader, Mangaluru South MLA Vedavyas Kamath, Mangaluru North MLA Dr Bharath Shetty, MLC Ivan D'Souza, Youth Congress president Mithun Rai, former MLA J R Lobo and other leaders have joined our LIVE shows and interacted directly with the needy people. They have reached out to needy families directly through our TV shows.

16. Chethan Kumar Shetty and I hosted the show in Kannada, Tulu and Konkani languages, as per the comfort of the needy callers. Leslie Rego and I hosted an exclusive Konkani show where help poured in from various parts, directly reaching the needy.

Here are the people who supported and joined hands to make Daijiworld campaign a huge success:

1. Umanath Kotian MLA

2. Vedavyas Kamath MLA

3. Harish Poonja MLA

4. U T Khader MLA

5. Y Bharath Shetty

6. Mithun Rai

7. Uday Poojari - Biruver Kudla

8. Corrine Rasquinha, White Doves, Mangaluru

9. Vijaya Games Team, Tokkottu

10. Hanifa - Hidayath Foundation

11. Management and Staff Association , MRPL

12. Ronald Gomes, District Governer, Lions Club, Mangaluru

13. Baby Kunder ,Congress Committee, Bantwala

14. Rolphie D Costa, Catholic Sabha, Mangaluru

15. M Friends, Dakshina Kannada

16. Saif Sultan and team

17. Veera Kesari Shrumika Sangha , Belthangadi

18. Snehalaya Charitable Trust ,Manjeshwar

19. Asif and team, Be Human , Dakshina Kannada

20. Rotary Club, Kolya

21. Franky, JCI , Deralakatte

22. Stany Baretto, Falnir

23. Madhu Jeevan and team, Saudi Arabia

24. Santhosh Arrangers, Mangaluru

25. Kusumakar, Kumpala

26. Akshith Suvarna, JDS Youth Wing

27. Arshad and team, Moodbidri

28. Nilesh Lobo, Kulshekar

29. Preetham Noronha , Fajir

30. Catholic Sabha , Fajir Unit

31. Rayan Kinnigoli

32. Laveena, Kulshekar

33. Mrs Abigail , Udupi

34. Darel Tauro, Bokkapatna

35. Rovina Moras

36. Kiran, Mary Hill

37. Sidhique, Talapady

38. Sunil Alva, Kapu

39. Veer Kesari, Belthangadi

40. Swarna Sanjeevini

41. Naveen D Souza, Qatar

42. Jeffrey Kinnigoli

43. Richard Elinje

44. Vijay Kudroli

45. Sunil Bajal

46. Good Samarithan, Vamanjoor

47. Walter Monteiro, Belman

48. AltMeds - Arjun, Mangalore

49. Traineeta, Permannur

50. Roshan Ammembal

51. Gurudath Store, Yeyyadi

52. Rego's Store Bendur

53. Leslie Rego & team Mangalore

54. Ganesh Rao, Founder, Karavali Group of Educational Institutes. 

55. Goldie Valencia

And many other individuals.

It is my responsibility to thank each person who joined us and supported us. If we have missed any names, kindly excuse us.

Our team who worked hard to make this campaign useful are production director Ashith Pinto, new bureau chief Stany Bela, HR director Ronald Nazareth and team members.

In case need emerges, we will come back with phase two of the campaign during the lockdown period. For any kind of genuine help or assistance in an emergency, you may reach us (ONLY WHATSAPP, NO CALLS) on 8217466588.

Watch videos related to our campaign:

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=138485221057475&id=109608663945131