SOCIAL INITIATIVES OF THE ASSOCIATION

The Reserve Bank Retired Employees’ Association, Kochi (RBREAK) aims to provide camaraderie among the retired employees and help in channelizing their benevolence to the needy. We have since come a long way in this objective and has attracted retirees in and around Kochi to join the Association in greater numbers. Although Kochi houses one of the smaller offices of RBI, we have over 400 members on our rolls. Apart from arranging General Meetings, Family Get-togethers, visits to elderly retirees (mostly octogenarians) etc. the Association is also involved in various social intervention activities. Some of the activities are enumerated below.

1. Organ Donation and Palliative care

The Association’s organ donation initiative was inaugurated during the Family Get-Together in February 2014, by Shri Kochouseph Chittilappilly, a prominent industrialist and philanthropist. He pointed out that it is the good deeds one do during one's lifetime that would be remembered rather than what one achieves in terms of success or wealth. He exhorted the members to actively spread the message and set an example for other organisations. Shri Chittilappilly himself is a kidney donor to a stranger. Several members signed the pledge forms for organ donation at the end of the presentation. This is an ongoing activity. During the get-together Shri Radhakrishna Menon, Secretary of the Consortium of Pain and Palliative Care units in Ernakulam district, made a detailed presentation on various aspects of palliative care and how members can get involved in such activities.

2. Prathyasa Lifeline Fund (PLF)

In line with objectives of RBREA, Kochi, guidelines for social Intervention through a voluntary fund called Prathyasa Lifeline Fund (PLF) was framed during a meeting specially convened for the purpose on February 5, 2015. The PLF was also formally launched on that day. Smt. Nishanthini, the then Deputy Commissioner of Police (Law and Order), handed over the first cheque, of Rs.120001/- to a Palliative Care Centre.

The purpose of the Fund is to channelize the generosity of its members by routing their donations for charitable purposes through the RBREAK after ensuring that the donations reach genuine beneficiaries, especially those who do not have other sources of funds or backing or sponsorship of any organisation. Among beneficiaries, members of our Association, if any, who are in need of financial support, will be given priority. Members were free to suggest genuine cases of individuals and organisations needing PLF support. These would be considered by the PLF Committee who will identify the beneficiaries and prioritise the proposals depending on the availability of funds; the implementation, however, will be with the approval of the Managing Committee. Money required for PLF were collected voluntarily from members.

3. Activities under the PLF

Some of the major initiatives so far undertaken under PLF are enumerated in the following paragraphs.

1. We had extended financial support to Shri Thomas Abraham (passed away on February 18, 2015) and helped him in his hospitalization. We also provided assistance for the education of his only daughter
2. Extending help in academics was pursued by the Association in all earnestness. Many students were helped to continue their studies. One satisfying contribution towards education made by us was extending help of Rs.150000/- for a medical student to pursue her post graduate studies. PLF was used to a good extent to assist at least 15 needy students to continue their schooling without break. At least 5 girls were helped in pursuing studies in medicine, nursing and hotel management related course.
3. One of our members, Shri. P. Sasidharan, a week before he expired, desired that we help a few persons in his locality who are in dire need of financial support. We were able to donate Rs. 10000/- each to the four individuals identified by him.
4. Financial support of over Rs.2 lakh was also extended to Jeremiah’s Home and Bertoni Palliative Care Centre situated at Chengamanad near Angamaly and Vimukti Special School for mentally challenged children. The fund also extended financial support on an ongoing basis to a rehabilitation centre, ‘Theruvoram’. - a temporary shelter for people rescued from the streets. The Pelican Centre was another institution that benefitted from the PLF. This centre is involved in rehabilitation of persons with psychiatric problems. Janaseva Shishu Bhavan started in 1999 with a noble objective to eradicate child exploitation and to create a society without street children was also one of our beneficiaries.
5. Angel Guardian Peace Mission- a well run centre looking after those suffering terminal diseases was also our beneficiary. While donating Rs.5.00 lakh to this centre we also ensured that one room was kept reserved for our Association in case need.
6. Impressed by the stellar functioning of ‘Pain and Palliative Care Society’, Thrissur, we had no hesitation in extending financial support.
7. The RBREA, Kochi are in close association with the Heart Care Foundation pioneered by Dr.Jose Chacko Periyappuram an organisation which could complete its prestigious project “thousand hearts, thousand lives and thousand families” well within its targeted period of ten years.
8. When Chennai was ravaged by floods the Association helped disaster victims by promptly dispatching biscuits and packaged drinking water to those in hapless plight there.
9. The RBREA, Kochi, is grateful to many of its members who have been able to assist the socially deprived individually and collectively, many of them not strictly routing such philanthropic activities through the PLF. Wherever possible the Association had acknowledged such activities.
10. Our January 1, 2020 was the inaugural function of the Snehapoorvam Janakeeya Medicals at Alappuzha. This shop provides good company's allopathic medicines at affordable cost to all and free of cost to the marginalised in the Society suffering from terminal diseases. Our Association had contributed RS. 25000 as share of PLF in this venture.

4. Retirement Home Project

A unique project never before attempted by any sister association is the Retirement Homes Project conceived by our Association. As we were career minded during our younger days our children too are career minded and in pursuit thereof move from city to city and country to country. Simply put, most of us are left to take care of ourselves. So long as one’s spouse is alive, there is good company to keep. However, when alone, we are at the mercy of others even for simple daily chores. With this in mind our Association barked upon this Retirement home project.

On February 3, 2019, our dream was fulfilled with the inauguration of the retirement homes complex by Shri. N S Vishwanathan, Deputy Governor of RBI at a memorable function held at the premises. The homes rechristened as River Bank Residency, is a fitting finale to three years of planning and hard work. The foundation stone for this was laid on February 13, 2016 by Shri R Gandhi, the then Deputy Governor of RBI.

The retirement home complex, constructed at a cost of Rs.20 cr. is an aesthetically designed apartment complex, with sixty-eight apartments of similar design and amenities, each owned by a member and has a bedroom, hall, pantry, bathroom, wash area and balcony and is senior citizen friendly.

5. In house Journal

The social initiatives of our Association drew its strength from the effective communication platform available to us through our quarterly journal ‘Prathyasa’, - a widely read journal. It is no exaggeration to conclude that what has been achieved by Reserve Bank Retired Employees’ Association, Kochi is a feather in the cap of the Association and all its members.