The Munster Indian Cultural Association (MICA), Ireland’s biggest community initiated Indian charity organisation, has provided substantial assistance to India, which is currently overcoming the hazards of second wave of COVID-19 and preparing for the third wave.
MICA, which was established in 2006, has provided numerous humanitarian assistance to the people of India as well as the Indian community in Ireland. Most impressive of all was the recent fundraiser they organised to help India in the COVID emergency.
The India Covid-Help fundraiser has raised a grand total of €2535.86 and donated through three NGOs. Nearly €1200 has been donated to the Irish Red Cross Covid-19 India Emergency Fund, and €683.25 has been donated for COVID-19 ground level assistance through Lions club in Tamil Nadu. They used this fund to purchase four full stainless steel stretchers on trolleys for a government hospital in Tambaram.
Another €682.31 has been donated for COVID-19 ground level help through Lions club in Kerala. This fund was utilised to buy eight mobile phones for very deserving students who hailed from low-income families to pursue their online education during the pandemic. Some €113.45 was provided to Chengannur Municipality in Kerala for COVID related activities.
To promote social and cultural welfare of Indian community
MICA was formed with the goal of promoting the social and cultural well-being of the Indian community in the Munster region. In 2012 the organisation started a formal charity wing called Share and Care for charity activities. The Share and Care organisation began its charitable efforts by gathering cash for the nurses who died in the Calcutta hospital fire incident. Soon after, the organisation gathered donations for paediatric cancer patients at the Regional Cancer Centre in Trivandrum, India.
Two years later MICA successfully became a registered charity organisation under the Charity regulatory authority. Along with humanitarian assistance, the organization also conducts arts and cultural events throughout the year to promote Indian Cultures and Social values in their local community.
The group also started to fundraise from the public and help critically ill patients on a monthly basis and do other help related to natural calamities. In 2016, it launched Educare, an educational charity through which MICA began sponsoring an eligible student in India to pursue a professional degree.
Jose Lukose is the Chairperson of the Munster Indian Cultural Association (MICA) Share and Care 2021-22. Lino Varghese (General Secretary), Joji Abraham (Facilitator), Ray Daniel (Treasurer), Rajeev P John (Executive member), Babu Baskaran (Executive member) and Lissamma Raju (Executive member) are the other Governing Body Members of the MICA Share and Care.
News credits: Babu Baskaran
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