This is what one of our donors (Ms. Viji Ravindran) had to say about SIFI and three of our team members when we approached her to raise funds for hospitalization of the baby of Ms. Saraswati.

Ms. Viji Ravindran

September 15, 2011

Aparajith Raman

Swetha Viswanathan

Today is special because I met with two remarkable youngsters – a boy and a girl.
What made the difference was, the drive of the two that I see is lacking in this generation.  Aparajith Raman, the boy, is studying for a degree in Economics from Loyola college (a PSBB product), while the girl Swetha Viswanathan also is studying Economics at Stella Maris (having done her schooling from DAV Girls).  I was all the more impressed because, it comes as a breather, these two have chosen the off-beaten path of Social sciences (Economics) over the drudgery called Engineering/Medicine.  I was often wondering, what would be the fate of arts and sciences in this nation of ours.  After seeing these promising young man and woman electing Economics as their chosen subjects of study, I am somewhat pacified that perhaps my apprehensions are misplaced.

A graduate in Mathematics, I have done my Masters in Econometrics, that endears Economics to me.  After a long time, those things like Keynes Micro Economics flashed through my mind’s eye.  It’s a subject I have always loved with all my heart.  Was transported to a world 20 years back when all human subjects of study received equal attention and appreciation in our society.

Kudos  to these youngsters first of all, for not succumbing to popular but boring notions.   They have held their own – and this is a good sign I was waiting for all along to spot somewhere – which was eluding me all these years.  Seeing bright and young men and women evince interest in human studies and social sciences is in itself a feat, if you are aware of the direction our society is progressing in (what I would term as lopsided and short-sighted ambitions and drive).

Aarthi Kumar

What is more, the youngsters are associated with SIFI, a charitable organization involved in the process of garnering funds for NGOs.  This, they are doing in their spare time, after their college hours.  I have to thank Aarthi Kumar, my school junior, who introduced me to this novel and noble mission by spirited young people, which she is a part of.  Aarthi had shared a link on SIFI in our school Facebook page to which I had responded, which led to this development.

On this day, I could give the young guys a cheque for 2000 bucks – something small, a token of my appreciation and willingness to chip in.

I have a college-going son too but he is a jolly-good fellow whose mind is still not on such mattes.  Said Aparajith so thoughtfully, ‘everyone has to get his or her own calling Auntie, Shriraam will get his own.’  The wisdom at this age is remarkable.

I understand SIFI is founded by a couple of service-minded young men, who want to help those under-privileged, as responsible citizens we are, and for those fortunate we are, only by virtue of our birth.  It is very unfair that a section of our society has to suffer such a torment at every turn of their lives, only because they are born into this pre-ordained, desperate condition from which, there is no easy way out.  It is very unjust – and I am ashamed I am one of the so-called better-offs who is faring well today only because I am born into this lucky other world.

So in whatever capacity we can, wherever we can, its our duty to do something to those who are having it so bad in their lives,  repeatedly pushed into hopeless circles of crises, with no light of dawn in sight. We are not doing them any  favour – this is something we owe the less-fortunate in our society.  For, in every opportunity we gain by virtue of our birth like good schooling, good neighbours, good university, good society, etc,  we are for our part depriving someone in this very same society we live in,  their fair, even and just chances at better life – to get where we are today.

Through SIFI I want to do what I can for this society.  For my part, I am already sponsoring the education of a little boy and a girl in a matric school.  But keeping in mind the increased cost of health care, I have always wanted to do something in this area.  If I could, I would like to pitch into something as basic as housing sector as well – but this is something which is beyond our reach or help.    Just think of the cost of housing or lease in our city Chennai – and the rising cost of living to compound with – so where are we headed?  So how do we expect those who are born into despair already to keep up?  And how easy it is for us folks to procure a housing loan or a car loan?  An autowallah told me, banks turned him away when he approached them for loans, so he had no option but to borrow from a money lender at a very high rate of interest.  Its such a sad, sad, unjust world.

And aren’t we all part of this erroneous system?  Again its not a favour we are doing to the lesser privileged, we owe whatever we can to them.

Health is one sector where our humanitarian help can make a big difference.

I am told, SIFI is supporting NGOs who primarily finance for health care – like surgeries etc for the weaker sections of the society.  They are open to the idea of financing something off-beat but very much necessary like funding for instance dialysis, ventilator support etc which also call for expensive and extensive medical care.  Its precisely in this area I want to help.  There are enough NGOs to garner funds for one-time surgeries, medical care etc.  But there are recurrent, repeated medical procedures like dialysis which are life-threatening and that which can also drain families completely of their budget economies..  This kind of medical expense could be unsustainable even for middle-class families despite their  health insurance in place.   So just think of someone under-privileged who has to under dialysis on regular basis.   There is a big yawning gap in funding in this area, that is often overlooked.  Principally, because, dialysis for instance, is not viewed as a surgical procedure.  It is rather, a continued treatment.

Many of us are bereft of ideas about NGOs who cater to such specific funding areas – which is where SIFI comes into picture.  It’s a great favour they are doing us by identifying the right NGOs for us who we can trust when it comes to handling our donations.

I would really like to get more involved with this idea – and I am willing to make a modest personal commitment of monthly  500 or 1000 bucks (that I can raise with time) for funding someone’s continued medical assistance.  SIFI is a useful tool here as I understand, we are also given a follow-up on the individual fundings/donations we may contribute toward.

I would like to tell my friends about SIFI and these motivated young men & women.  Their mission is very noble and impressive, and let it grow and continue forever and ever….