"Why do we always wait for something bad to happen to try and do better?" asks Marzy Parakh, a Mumbai-based social worker and social entrepreneur.
He started to go out of his way to help those in need from an early age.
One such person was a Mumbai-based COVID-19 patient who had recently lost her mother and was struggling to keep herself alive. After getting to know about her, Marzy reached out to his network of volunteers to gather help.
"I shared information about her on social media and in a matter of 60 seconds, a volunteer offered to send her home-cooked meals, a doctor offered to provide treatment at her home for free, and a counsellor stepped in to provide free mental health services. Such a consolidated effort is what motivates me to go on" he says.
It was this passion for social work that led Marzy to informally start Live to Give Foundation over a decade ago. The foundation which works via a WhatsApp group was registered in 2018 and became an instrument of positive change during the pandemic.
Since then, Marzy, along with a team of almost 80 volunteers, has been running this 24-hour online helpline via a WhatsApp group. A full-fledged organisation now, Live to Give Foundation has focused their efforts on COVID relief efforts, helping thousands along the way.
Last year, Marzy raised more than Rs. 1 crore for relief initiatives like distribution of meals, ration and reimbursements of hospital bills for the underprivileged across nine states. He provided over 1.5 lakh meals to healthcare and frontline workers as well as disadvantaged communities. Additionally, he leveraged the helpline to provide a 24-hour service to prioritise medical emergencies.
"Our work does not end with providing meals or getting COVID patients beds, medicines, or oxygen cylinders. It starts from there, and our team continues to follow up to ensure they are supported throughout the process. My philosophy has always been and continues to be, to not wait until the eleventh hour to act only during a calamity but drive a continuous chain of social change."
Mahindra salutes this challenger spirit of #PeopleWhoRise when faced with daunting challenges. #Rise #TogetherWeRise
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