A Chennai NGO ensures those who are unclaimed are given a dignified funeral.
What’s it about? 27-year-old social worker Khaalid Ahamed decided to dedicate his life to ensuring unclaimed bodies in the city are given a proper farewell. A 2015 incident led to the founding of Uravugal Trust in 2017. Uravugal means relationship in Tamil. Its members believe they have a special bond with the people they help.
- The team has 500 volunteers that give people a proper burial regardless of their financial status or background. During the lockdowns, they provided free medical care and ambulance services to homeless patients.
- The Trust has women members who are sometimes denied entry to graveyards. The Trust relies on donations and is often in debt. That hasn’t stopped Khaalid, who continues his work with awareness on suicide prevention.
Who said what? Johnson, a member of the NGO, said the team has buried over 7,500 unclaimed bodies in the past six years. Another volunteer Divya Sri said she has handled over 550 bodies, and volunteering with the Trust has given her a sense of purpose.