Chennai: Broken garbage bins, dusty roads and sewage overflowing on streets. While it is a common sight in the city, little do we bother about fixing the civic problems with which we are familiar with.
Meena Sathya Moorthy, a resident of Ambattur, in the city has taken a 30-day challenge where she posts the pictures of beaten up lanes, broken lamp posts and other issues and lodges a complaint with the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC).
She talks to ‘News Today’ about her journey as a volunteer and a woman entrepreneur thus far.
Though she has been actively volunteering since two years, she says that the inclination to help people has been there since her childhood.
“The thought to serve the society came when I was in Grade Four in Karur. The people in my place disposed their household waste near a water pump, washed the bins and the water entered the water body that is used for everyday consumption. I was not so very happy with it and began to contemplate as to what could be done,”reminisces she.
“I decided to place a signboard but I did not have money to buy a sketch to write with. I saved two days pocket money and bought a sketch. After placing it, I was surprised to see that the villagers did not wash their bins. From there it all started,” adds she.
Though she is an independent woman entrepreneur now, life was not an easy ride for her. She was married at the age of 16 and within four years she was divorced. Unable to get through the rough waves, she was living in an orphanage in Ambattur.
“It was Venkat, one of my well-wishers, brought me out of my misery, gave a new perception to my life and thus I began reciprocating to the society,” recalls Meena.
About her experiences as a volunteer, she narrates,“My first ever experience goes back to 2016, where I created awareness about footboard traveling as part of Thozhan’s Accident Free Nation. Since then I have been a part of them and now I am an executive team member.”
With this 30-day challenge, Meena hopes to catalyse change and fix the civic problems without creating any trouble.
“I have been filing petitions with the GCC since a long time. But I want other citizens also to do the same and make the city a better place to live in. When I was pondering as to how to do it, I saw the 30 days challenge hashtage going viral on social media and I decided to take up the challenge for a good cause,” says the 24-year-old woman. She can be reached at 73972 76699.