Established by a group of youngsters in 1993, the voluntary organisation `Helping Hands' continues to strive for the welfare of the less fortunate through various fund-raising activities.

A member and spokes Person of the organisation recalled, ``We were a small group of friends studying in MSU's Commerce and Engineering faculties when we decided to maintain a fund of sorts to help the needy. Fortunately, the desire to help the poor remained even after we had completed our studies and settled down in our respective professions. So, we decided to utilise the resources we had collected and add to the same to reach out to as many needy people as we could.''

Besides monthly contributions from its 30 members and donations received, Helping Hands has been organising charity shows in the city. ``We've staged popular Gujarati plays like All the Best and Ek Bija Ne Gamta Rahiye, among others, all proceeds of which have gone towards the general fund of the organisation,'' he claimed.

The major activities of the organisation are conducted by way of educational programmes and medical assistance. ``Helping Hands had adopted a slum, Purshuramnagar, at Sayajiganj where we were assisting various educational activities. We also offer scholarships to deserving needy students or help those who are unable to afford their school fees,'' he added.

He, however, stressed that the main purpose of the organisation was to be a link between the needy and the privileged section of society. ``All along we have tried to spread the message of charity as a social cause. Somehow, people tend to think that everything depends on the people in power and the administration. We see such an approach as a way to escape one's own responsibility as a part of the society. We only wish to see many more concerned citizens devote their energy, time and some money towards fulfilling their social responsibility,'' he added.

Among the interesting activities undertaken by Helping Hands are Project Muskan, whereby terminally ill patients are offered some ease by granting them their most desired wishes, and establishment of toy banks and book libraries at the city's hospitals, balwadis and the Girls Remand Home.

The organisation is currently undertaking repainting of blackboards in municipal schools and providing new ones in almost 50 civic schools in the city. ``We also plan to shortly provide pure drinking water facilities to 20-odd municipal schools in the city and undertake civil repairs and electrification of the institutions,'' the spokes Person said, adding that while several senior citizens had expressed the will to assist the efforts of the organisation, a greater public participation was required.