Deva Sahayam of Siberia, Labasa, is forever grateful to 15 final year students of the TISI Sangam Institute of Technology’s College of Nursing.

This is after the students personally contributed money to buy a 1000-litre water tank for Mr Sahayam and also spent a day to clean up his house and compound yesterday.

The 49-year-old man has lived alone in his one-room house for 23 years since his wife left him.

“The only source of water I have is from rain and during the dry season I go to my neighbours asking for water,” Mr Sahayam said.

“I receive a monthly allowance from the Department of Social Welfare and whatever I get I use it to buy food and medicine.

“I have been very sick, having sores on my legs and suffer from headaches and it has been very difficult for me to clean my house and compound.”

Final year nursing student Adi Elenoa Ranatawake said as part of their community programme she and the students from Group A visited Mr Sahayam last year.

“When we came for profiling, we found out that he had no safe drinking water, no health care given, his compound had long grasses, and rubbish where mosquitoes were breeding,” she said.

“So we as a group collected money and bought a water tank and arranged water delivery for him early this week.

“We all felt a special need to help Mr Sahayam and we filled our responsibility.”

Mr Sahayam said he never thought in his life that a group of youngsters would assist him.

“I was surprised to see them come to me with a water tank and ready to clean up my house and compound,” Mr Sahayam said.

“They all called me uncle and by the end of the day they finished all the work.

“I felt so special and feel forever grateful to them and I thanked them and blessed them for helping me live in a better environment.” Edited by Manasa Kalouniviti

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