Journalist: Good afternoon, Mr. Arif. I am a journalist of The Daily Ittefaq. I am here to interview you about the old home that you run. Do you have time?
Mr. Arif: Yes, of course. What do you want to know?
Journalist: First of all, when did you establish the old home and why?
Mr. Arif: Well, I started this old home back in 1990. The idea came to my mind when I saw a program on TV about the distress of helpless old people abandoned by their children or relatives. So, I rented a house and gave shelter to five old helpless women at first. The number gradually increased day by day.
Journalist: Do you bear the expense of the old home on your own?
Mr. Arif: Yes. It is being run with our own finance. The center does not obtain any sort of financial aid from outside either public, private or government, local or foreign. The centre has its own fish, rice and vegetable cultivation scheme. Major portion of expenses of the center are met out of income of these schemes.
Journalist: What kind of service do you provide to the old people?
Mr. Arif: All basic needs like foods, cloths, medicines and other facilities are provided free of cost to the neglected, unable to earn livelihood and helpless old people of above 60 years till their death in the centre. Necessary medical facilities are also provided. There is required number of nurses to look after the elderly.
Journalist: That is very inspiring. We need more people like you in our society. Thank you very much for your time.
Mr. Arif: You’re welcome.

When price hike is at its worst, and when people are going through unbearable hard work to earn the two-times-a-day meal, when street-children are filling their stomach only with the smell coming from the restaurants, there are always some people who come forward to help and awaken our conscience. “Meal for a penny” is such a great project where food is distributed among poor people for only one taka. The people involved in the project have distributed meal among around 100000 people in the last four months. One taka is a very tiny amount, but yet it is charged to let the poor people realize that they are not begging. The money to run the project is raised from the middle class people’s contribution. The food bought by only one taka brings a more heavenly smile on the poor children’s faces than the expensive foods in a restaurant.