Cove and John Ashram reaches out to struggling single mother

By Indrawattie Natram

Sharmila Singh, 41, of Lot 17 Dundee Mahaicony, West Coast Berbice, was the latest beneficiary of the Cove and John Ashram outreach programme. The mother of 11, who hails from Mahaicony Village, resides in a swampy area in the Dundee community.

The team from the ashram visited Singh’s home on Sunday and presented her with items that would make her life much more comfortable. According to spiritual leader and administrator of the Ashram Swami Maharaj, he heard about Singh’s case and immediately ventured to her home, assessing the situation for the ashram to be of help.

The Swami explained that devotees along with students from the Hindu College, put together hampers, two benches and two tables for the family. He disclosed the Ashram also partnered with Food For the Poor in providing three mattresses and sheets to the family, who previously slept on the ground. Reading materials and other useful schooling amenities were also provided for the children.

The devotees of the Ashram during their visit offered words of encouragement to the mother and assured her the Ashram will continue to assist her to provide for her children.

Headmistress of the Hindu College Rajkumarie Singh spoke to the children encouraging them to take education seriously. She also promised to provide text books to the children to continue their studies.

The mother of 11 was left to shoulder responsibilities for her children in January 2016 after her husband committed suicide. The mother explained that she provides for her family with whatever meagre domestic work she is afforded.

Living on a plot of land provided by her husband’s parents, Singh lives with her children in a shack that can only accommodate four persons, but the family has to make the best of a bad situation, she lamented.

Apart from helping the family, the Ashram last weekend also assisted families in Unity, Cove and John, Beehive, East Coast Demerara, with bed sets and food hampers. This coincided with the Ashram’s 60th Anniversary.