Volunteer group in Chennai rescues abandoned street-dwellers

Arul Raj drives an auto-rickshaw which symbolises his social initiative. Just as the auto manoeuvres into the narrowest reaches of pencil-thin streets, this initiative seeks to reach the unreached — p

Arul Raj drives an auto-rickshaw which symbolises his social initiative. Just as the auto manoeuvres into the narrowest reaches of pencil-thin streets, this initiative seeks to reach the unreached — people who have made the street their home. Arul Raj, founder of Karunai Ullangal (karunaiullangaltrust.org), places this social work within a broader category — “providing people on the streets with any help they might need”. In reality, it can be narrowed down to a few sub-categories, with the major one being rescuing abandoned street-dwellers — largely, seniors — and ensconcing them in the safety of a shelter in Chennai, after attending to the formalities of the process. It could either be a government-established night shelter, if the person fits certain criteria. Or, it could be a full-time care centre run by a voluntary organisation for those significantly broken in body and mind.