Kolkata: Teenagers bond through Covid care – Times of India

Charityst members donating medicines for St Xavier’s University safe home

KOLKATA: Binges, birthday-bashes or eating-ins with classmates are passe. These days, more and more city teenagers prefer to stay connected by collectively saving up pocket money or simply raising funds for the Covid affected. School counsellors are relieved at this meaningful peer-bonding which seems to have become a coping mechanism for the youngsters, housebound for 15 months now.
Arya Mundhra, Aanjney Tewari, Arnav Choudhary and Aryan Sonkar, students of St James’ School, are busy organizing free medicines, food and health equipment for underprivileged coronavirus patients of safe homes. On May 31, they distributed free medicines to 250 patients of “Nirapad Abhash” at Rashbehari Avenue in the presence of urban development minister Chandrima Bhattacharya. “I think it’s time to give back to the society that has given us so much,” said Arya, who has set up his charity group, christened ‘Charityst’,”
Late April, when the second wave started sweeping the city, Simran Singh of Pratt Memorial School thought on the same lines. “Initially, I was on my own, trying to help with resources from my own family members. Soon, my friends wanted to participate,” she said. Last month Charityst donated medicines to Father Felix Raj, V-C, St Xavier’s University, for the safe home inside the Rajarhat campus. Said Aasvi Chowdhary, another Charityst member: “This way, we can stay connected with each other, and for a cause, too.”
Devi Kar, director, Modern High School, has noticed the newfound priorities in the kids. “Everyone is up to some good work. It’s not only for Covid patients. Some are feeding street dogs, others are supporting the homeless. The students are engaged in some social welfare activity or the other,” she said.
A school counsellor mused, “It is a very healthy use of time and energy. Everyone has suffered during the pandemic in some way or the other, and giving, caring and sharing is the best way of healing as it takes away the focus from the self. I hope this attitude and what they have learned from the pandemic stays with them throughout their lives. In any case, I have always felt that the upcoming generation is much more giving than the previous one.”