- Goa Sudharop
Goa Sudharop extended its COVID outreach with another Eye Camp on February 14, 2021. Eye camps are held in Goa but rarely in remote places. During these COVID times where travel is not easy and affordable to people below the poverty line, Goa Sudharop has made a concerted effort to reach these residents and provide free access to eye care. This eye camp was held in the remote village of Dabel and for villagers in the Canacona area. Goa Sudharop's team of medical volunteers led by Dr. Sarvesh Sawant provided excellent care with medication and spectacles and identified patients in need of surgery. Since it was Valentine's Day, in the spirit of giving and love for the less fortunate, private well-wishers and sponsors through Goa Sudharop gifted children hampers containing stationery and treats while adults received flip flops.
As part of of its ongoing COVID assistance to Goans, Goa Sudharop opened a unique POSRO (shop) in Margao, Goa on December 22, 2020 to help traditional Goan artisans such as farmers, cooks, bakers, potters and others can sell their products (traditional Goan food, spices, sweets, organic vegetables, farm produce, etc.). The need for jobs and income in this pandemic is important and Goa Sudharop is providing the store space free to the various vendors.
According to Goa Sudharop volunteer Irene Almeida, "Posro by Goa Sudharop" is a social initiative empowering Goans to showcase their skills, talents and expertise as the Goa Sudharop supported platform helps Goans earn a living. At the same time, Goa Sudharop intends to revive Goan traditions and pass on our legacy for generations to come. At Posro we respect the hands which toil to bring the food to our tables, hence we felicitated a padekar (traditional coconut plucker Pedro Pereira), xetkamti (farmer Anthonetta Fernandez) and a randpin (traditional cook Manikbai Naik) who inaugurated and opened the Posro as our special, favored guests. In Goa Sudharop's 20 year history, we cater to the common person, usually the forgotten Goan below the poverty line and intentionally no politician or other so-called dignitaries have been special guests at our events.
Some of the products available include homemade oil, vinegar, jaggery, home ground masala such as Xacuti, Ambottik, Recheado and Jeeremire. Also, Goan grown spices, cereals, rice, millets, cowpeas along with organically grown fruits and vegetables are also for sale - please note items vary over time based on availability.
Mouth-watering dishes such as Pez with kalchi kodi, mori ambotik, fezoado, Appa de camarao, Chicken Xacuti, Kotkothe, Kismur, Tisreo sukhe, Bangdho recheado, to name a few are also available. In addition, authentic Goan sweets made or baked the traditional way were sold, specially Christmas sweets were the main attraction at this time of year.
Posro has a Facebook Page – do like and follow them for updates. They are open for constructive feedback. We want to reach out to the remote areas of Goa to promote the farmers and artisans and they look forward to your patronage. Please show your love and support to keep the Goan legacy alive which gives our Goenkars immense JOY and HOPE as they benefit from this initiative.
Address: POSRO, Shop No 1, Carvalho Apartments, Behind LIC Building, Comba, Margao, Goa.
- Goa Sudharop
As part of Goa Sudharop's continuing Covid Assistance in Goa which began in April 2020, we are pleased to organize free eye camps for below poverty line people who cannot afford basic travel to go to doctors and pay for medical care. The first eye camp was held on December 6th in Orlim. Other eye camps will follow in Varca, Cormona, Quepem, Paroda and Canacona. These eye camps are organized and led by Irene Almeida and the Goa Sudharop volunteer team in Goa. Fifty-two residents of Orlim and the surrounding villages were successfully helped on December 6th. Goa Sudharop would like to convey its immense gratitude to all the volunteers, to SUN PHARMA who donated eye drops and supported the eye camp, to our Goa-based volunteer medical services team, especially to Dr. Sarvesh Sawant who donated his services and for his past volunteer work for Goa Sudharop during this pandemic, and to KOHINOOR OPTICALS who donated the spectacles/glasses free to the patients.
Goa Sudharop appreciates all the donated time, effort, services, and in-kind contributions from everyone and considers it a privilege to support needy Goans. So many have supported and contributed with much compassion and great purpose to make these eye camps possible. A special thank you to our volunteer Irene Almeida for heading this initiative and her team for bringing together all the resources needed and for developing, coordinating and organizing the event with great purpose and discipline.