Northeast Desk, 27th October: The ongoing crisis in Manipur has brought about severe hardships for many residents, forcing them into relief camps and creating a distressing situation. However, the spirit of community and solidarity remains strong, with individuals from diverse backgrounds extending their support to provide a ray of hope in these challenging times.
Since Manipur became a strife-torn state, thousands of people have been displaced from their homes, leaving their lives in disarray and filled with uncertainty about their future. In response to this situation, a group of individuals has united with the core belief that “together we can pave the way for a better society.”
These community efforts involve providing relief aid, financial support, and sustainable livelihood training to those affected by the crisis. People are also coming up with innovative ways to provide comfort and alleviate the burden of the affected individuals.
For instance, a youth team called “Salai Taret Barber,” comprising only six members, has been providing voluntary hair-cutting services to inmates in relief camps. Using their acquired haircutting skills, they aim to offer solace to the victims.
Ningthouba Khuman, one of the volunteers of Salai Taret Barber, expressed their motivation, saying, “Our state was severely affected by the unprecedented conflict. As youth of the state, we felt the responsibility to extend some possible help to people staying in relief camps. We believe that sharing their sorrows is our duty, and this view has fueled our team to start this free hair-cutting service every Tuesday in different relief camps.”
The crisis has also united the community, as all six members of Salai Taret Barber run their own salons in various locations. Despite sacrificing a day’s earnings, they gather every Tuesday to provide free hair-cutting services to those in need.
Lairenjam Thoiba, another volunteer, explained, “We usually start our service early in the morning as we have to travel to relief camps in far-flung areas. We try to reach as many relief camps as we can, and we will continue our voluntary service until we cover all the relief camps open in various valley areas.”
The team has visited three different relief camps so far, providing haircuts for people of all genders and ages. Their goodwill service started at Santhong Relief Camp in Moirang, followed by Wangjing Relief and Indoor Stadium Kakching, where they offered their services to around 100, 150, and 70 inmates, respectively.
These volunteers come from economically challenged backgrounds and lack sufficient resources. However, the community has rallied behind them, providing essential support like vehicles and fuel free of charge. In addition to haircuts, the team also spends time with children in the relief camps, sharing moments and distributing food items as tokens of love.
Amarjeet, another member of the team, emphasized their efforts, saying, “We may not have much to offer these innocent children from economically deprived backgrounds, but we can share a few moments and provide some food items as a gesture of love. Seeing their innocent smiles fuels our determination to contribute more to society.”