For this Yellandu scribe, charity is a way of life

Shaik Saleem donates blood, distributes food to the poor, provides study material to students, feeds animals in the wild and extends financial assistance to the underprivileged

Yellandu: For this young journalist, charity is a way of life and he draws satisfaction from serving the needy in many forms. Meet Shaik Saleem, a social worker of LBS Nagar in the coal town of Yellandu in the district, who has been reaching out to the needy for the past nine years. Though he hails from an economically weaker section and has financial constraints, he makes it a point to do his part to help the needy.

He donates blood, distributes food to the poor, provides study material to students, feeds animals in the wild and extends financial assistance to the underprivileged, sharing his time between his charity and professional work as a reporter for a vernacular TV channel.
Speaking about what motivates him to involve himself in charity work, Saleem, a post-graduate and a law student, told Telangana Today that he was inspired by the words of Mother Teresa, who believed a helping hand is better than praying lips. “Service to the needy is satisfying and the smiles on the faces of those I help gives me immense pleasure”, he said, adding that he is passionate about blood donation as it saves lives of those in medical emergencies and has donated blood many times.

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Saleem distributed fruits and food to the poor for 48 days during the Covid lockdown period. He celebrates his birthdays with orphan children and organises birthdays of his friends and relatives at orphanages and donates food, clothes and notebooks.

He travels to nearby forests on Kothagudem-Yellandu road to feed monkeys fruits and vegetables. “A few caring commuters offer fruits to monkeys moving on the road but most of the time, they starve and hence, I regularly go there to feed them,” he said.

Saleem recently donated a wheelchair to a physically challenged person, Manmadha Chari of Kommugudem village near Yellandu, when the latter, who sells corn on Yellandu-Mahabubabad road, faced difficulties in commuting.

“Youth need to take the lead in supporting those in distress. I encourage my friends to lend a helping hand to those in need as I personally know how poverty crushes people’s hearts” Saleem averred.

He was recently felicitated by Khammam-based social activist Chote Baba in recognition of his services to the poor during Covid lockdown. He also received an award from Diamond Book of World Records, besides a few other awards for his services.