Now, Hanan rushes to lend a helping hand

Dubai - Hanan said there's no better time than this to give back the donations she had received in her account.

Hanan Hamid, the young Kerala student who had last month become a social media sensation as well as a victim of ruthless cyber trolling for selling fish in college uniform, is donating Rs150,000 to help alleviate the sufferings of the flood-ravaged people of her home state.
Speaking to Khaleej Times on the phone, Hanan said there's no better time than this to give back the donations she had received in her account in the first two days of her fame after a local newspaper wrote about her tribulations. The 19-year-old girl woke up at 3am to bicycle to a wholesale market and then went to her college, only to return at 3.30pm to sell fish until the evening.
"This amount had trickled into my account in the denominations of 500 and 1,000, so I know they were hard-earned monies. After I was mauled over allegations that I had faked the report to gain fame and money, I had promised to give back the donations. So I am giving them back to society at a time when the state is desperately crying for help," Hanan said.
"Bank networks are not working because of the floods. I had been trying to transfer the money to the Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund for two days. The manager has promised to make it happen today," Hanan said on Saturday.
She said though she is safe in the Aurgruham hospital in Kothamangalam, the facility is surrounded by flood waters. "However, with much difficulty I managed to visit a relief camp at the Kothamangalam UP School and arrange food for them. We are also arranging to send food from the hospital to different camps around the area. "It's my duty as I myself had lived on the magnanimity of various people. On a personal capacity, I am sending out information about stranded people so that they can be rescued."
"Malayalis are a tough breed who would face up to challenges bravely. With a little prayer and hard work, we can overcome this trial by God."
"Let's help each other. There are many NRI houses lying empty. Open up your doors. A donor need not be rich. Let donations trickle in from every strata of society, in whichever way possible, then our job is done. The common man can make a huge difference."
"The need of the hour is to listen to the advice of the rescue teams, so that lives can be saved," Hanan said.
suresh@khaleejtimes.com
 

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