Trivandrum: SALT, the social work student’s association of Loyola College, Trivandrm organised an interactive session with the renowned social activist Mercy Mathew on February 3 at the college premises.

Mercy Mathew popularly known as Daya Bhai is a Malayalee from Pala who has been working with the tribes in a village in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhindwara district for the past 32 years. She is fondly called as Tinsei Ki Rani by her loved ones. She received the National Award for Social Work from Dharma Bharati in 2001.

 

“I left Kerala when I was 18. It has been a long journey. Initially the tribes were not ready to accept me. Then I started  living  with the villagers , slept in  the verandahs of their huts, worked with them in the fields for daily wages and slowly they accepted me,” said Daya Bhai while interacting with the students.

“Later I started informal chit chats and I also taught them to read and write. I became one among them. I am happy and satisfied. I would like to have more people with me to work for the underdogs," she added.