PANAJI
Amidst the spectre of gloom due to the Covid-19 pandemic, theintervention of a shelter home and revival to health and hope of a desperatedestitute comes as a welcome piece of positive news.
Street Providence took Bernard into its shelter home and caresome ten months ago - in total depression and blurred vision in both eyes dueto cataract.
A nuisance in his village, loitering in dirt and sleeping onroads or bus stops, Bernard was also stubborn and violent, according to anofficial of the shelter home.
His ‘blurred vision’ was discovered weeks after he came intothe home and care givers were stretched to the limit to bathe and clean him,daily.
“In fact we had to shift Bernard to a different home every 15days so care givers would not get stressed,” Donald Fernandes of StreetProvidence said.
A member of Street Providence’s Margao Food Bank, one Rubiotook charge of Bernard’s impaired vision and had surgery to restore sight inone eye. The surgery was conducted probono by Dr Ryan in Margao following whichBernard showed signs of remarkable behavioral improvement.
Street Providence serves the homeless in Goa, suffering fromsickness and depression voluntarily and free.
Currently, their homes are full and cannot accept any moreinmates, Fernandes said, adding that they are now looking to expand theiroperations to manage between 50 to 500 inmates under a single roof.
