NORKA C19 HELP DESK DAMMAM CONCLUDES ITS ACTIVITES

NORKA (Non-Resident Keralite Affairs Department) C19 Help Desk-Eastern Province in Dammam, Saudi Arabia , constituted in April 2020 in the aftermath of Covid 19 outbreak, to extend help to the non-resident Keralites has concluded its functions on an official note., This help desk was constituted by the Loka Kerala Sabha members, encompassing all the social organizations, and institutions from the cross section of the society in the Eastern province of Saudi Arabia. Though similar help desks were functioning in several countries across the globe, this unit in Dammam has been quite unique by undertaking several activities ranging from food kits distribution to flight chartering, patients counselling and medical services, under one common umbrella.
Forty two tons plus of food kits were distributed to over four thousand five hundred people who were suffering without food due to lockdown and wage loss, during this period. This was made possible with the support of several business organizations in Dammam, Khobar, Jubail and Al Hassa. In addition to this, almost three thousand five hundred ready to eat food parcels were distributed to six hundred and fifty plus patients who were in isolation centers , after getting infected by corona.
When the expatriate community was confronted with issues in travelling due to the inadequacy of flights in the Vande Bharat Mission, the help desk team rose to the occasion by chartering seven flights at a very reasonable fare, which was almost at par with the Vande Bharat Mission flights. Moreover this chartered flight operation was the only one which provided online ticketing facility, by virtue of which the passengers from far off cities like Arar, Qassim and Riyadh availed this service. Passenger were also given assistance in doing various registrations and complying with government regulations in a very professional manner. Apart from these a fifteen member doctors team worked round the clock to assist the patients who were infected with Covid and other diseases during this period. This was supplemented by a twelve-member certified counsellors team which offered professional counselling to those Covid infected patients with very high levels of anxiety.
The concluding ceremony , held on a virtual platform was inaugurated by Mr.K.Varadarajan, resident vice chairman of NORKA ROOTS. He admired the efforts of the NORKA Help desk team and expressed the view that this help desk stood out, amongst all over similar NORKA helpdesks across the globe through its exemplary services. Help Desk Convenor & Loka Kerala Sabha member,Albin Joseph presented the comprehensive report in this meeting, which was presided by Loka Kerala Sabha member Pavanan Moolakel. Felicitation speeches were done by Mr. George Varghese, Director of Pravasi Welfare Board, Mr, Biju Kallumala, Core committee member of Help Desk & President of OICC regional committee Dammam, Mr. Ali Kutty Olavattoor , Core committee member of Help Desk & General Secretary KMCC Eastern Province , Mr. Nass Vakkom, member of Loka Kerala Sabha and Mr .Nasar Madani, Chairman of the Al Hassa wing of the Help Desk. The welcome speech was done by M.A.Vahid, Loka Kerala Sabha member & Core committee member of Help Desk, and the vote of thanks was expressed by Mr.Jayan Thachanpara, convenor of the Jubail city wing of Help desk.