By Matters India Reporter
Namphai: A group of students in Arunachal Pradesh, northeastern India, performed dance numbers and beatbox in the market place to raise fund for the flood victims of Kerala in the south.
The students of Newman School Neotan, a village school in Changlang district, performed at Namphai Bazar in the middle of the market place from 6:30 am, the time for peak selling and buying.
School principal Father Felix Anthony explained to the people about the worst flood Kerala has seen in the past 100 years. He requested them to contribute toward helping the flood affected people.
“Let us share our little with the people who are in camps without proper food and water for the last two weeks,” he said and added, “Your help today will come back to you as a blessing.”
The program, organized by the school’s Cultural Committee led by Junnem Mossang and Blessy Mossang, brought the market to a standstill.
The students chose Wednesday, the only market day at Namphai Bazar, for fund raising. They have planned to do similar fundraising events at Miao on August 24 and at Kharsang on the following day, the weekly market days of the two places.
The school will forward the proceeds of the fundraising to Seva Kendra Arunachal East, which coordinates he support for Kerala in the eastern part of Arunachal Pradesh.
The whole market chipped in with small contributions. Some parents, touched by their children’s kind gesture, too went around with the collection box while the students entertained the bystanders.
More than 400 people died and around 800,000 were forced to take shelter in relief camps as incessant rains battered Kerala for two months. The worst flooding took place on the night of August 15 when the authorities were forced to open all dams and reservoirs in the state. All but two of Kerala’s 12 districts were severely affected by floods and landslides.