RP Foundation — an organisation set up by NRI businessman Ravi Pillai — is providing a funding of Rs 15 crore as monetary assistance to those facing severe financial crisis due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Many Malayalis, including those of the expatriate community, have fallen victims to the pandemic.
Usually, the death of the breadwinner pushes his or her family into penury and in certain incidents, hapless children are orphaned,” Ravi Pillai said during a virtual press conference held on Thursday from his office in Bahrain.
“Many of those affected have approached me directly or through the Foundation and I have taken a decision to set apart Rs 15 crore for offering financial help to such families.” The RP Foundation has been actively responding to the pandemic situation in different countries, Pillai added.
“We have been giving financial support, including providing travel fare, to many families stranded in different parts of the world.
Besides, as a joint initiative with the government of Kerala, we have set up a Covid treatment facility with 250 beds at Sankaramangalam School, Chavara,” he explained.
Pillai further added, “I understand that this is a period of profound crisis when one is expected to take care of the needy and the underprivileged.
Hence, to me, easing their pain is of utmost importance and I believe that is my foremost duty as a fellow human being.” The Rs 15 crore funding will be disbursed without any delay, Pillai said.
Of this, Rs 5 crore is meant for the members of the Malayali expatriate community and this amount will be handed over to the Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
It will then be administered through the state’s agency for NRIs, NORKA Roots.
The Foundation will use Rs 10 crore to offer financial assistance to various categories of people including families facing severe financial crisis due to Covid, those finding it difficult to cover medical expenses, families unable to meet marriage expenses of their daughters, and widows needing monetary assistance.
“Our aim is to reach out to the maximum number of people who find it difficult to meet their financial needs during this period of crisis,” the chairman said.
The RP Foundation was set up to coordinate the philanthropic activities of Pillai and, so far, has spent Rs 85 crore on charitable activities.
Building houses for the homeless, offering scholarships to bright students from a deprived background, covering marriage expenses of women from underprivileged families and offering them jobs are some of the activities the foundation, which is active in India and abroad, has undertaken.