Kochi: Having a roof under your head is one of the basic necessities of mankind, but, a major section of the society is unable to even dream a house. However, principal Sr Lizzy Chakkalakal and students of the Our Lady’s Convent Girls High School, Thoppumpady, wanted to make a difference in the life of such poor and downtrodden by building them houses for free.
The journey started over five years back when Sr Lizzy gave shape to the ‘House Challenge project’ has only gathered steam and now they have completed construction of the 62nd house which would be handed over to Rithika, a high school student who lost her father last year due to heart attack.
“We wanted to bring hope to the homeless and also teach the values of compassion and sharing among the students. When we started the construction of the first house, a lot of questions kept popping up as to how to meet the expense, the labour part and the like. However, we soon understood that there are a lot of good-heartened people surrounding us wanting to do something worthwhile and soon help began to pour in. From daily wage workers to industrialist, all chipped in with whatever way they can and here we have laid the foundation stone for 70th house,” said Sr Lizzy, who joined the school as an English teacher a decade back.
While construction of three more houses got completed, that with regard to five are progressing. The stone-laying function of the 70th house was done by a former student of the school Augusteena and her spouse – actor Aju Varghese. “Basically we identify families who lost their mainstay or the octogenarians abandoned by their relatives or who have lost their near and dear ones,” she said.
