What began on January 23, 2013 as WhatsApp Group of Seven like-minded Friends whose hearts were into activities uplifting society, M. Friends gained a foothold as charitable trust well-recognised in the society (M for Mercy). The organization was founded by writer and organizer Rasheed Vitla (+91 9741993313), who was drawn into social service activities at a very young age. Under the guidance of Mohammed Haneef Haji Golthamajal, U.T. Khader, and Umar U.H. who were its senior members since the beginning, the service activities were initiated. The organization that had seven members in the beginning, now consists of 64 like-minded trustees and members from Dakshina Kannada district of Karnataka, working in different fields in India and abroad. So far in 11 years of its existence (April 2013 to end of March 2024), the organization has undertaken Rs. 5 Crore worth service works, all dedicated to the society. It has got the timely cooperation of members and various donors for smooth conduct of service activities.

Vission & Mission

To contribute towards the health, education, food and basic infrastructure of the underprivileged/poor people. Planning for their economic, social and educational empowerment with no discrimination on the basis of caste, creed or religion.

Karunya Scheme

Thousands of in-patients and outpatients receive treatment at the Government Wenlock District Hospital in Mangalore. Destitute from various districts of Karnataka are admitted here for emergency treatment. M. Friends has been distributing free dinner to 500 people every day for the past six and a half years after noticing (Start Date: 19-12-2017) that the patient-companions were sharing the food provided by the government to the patients, thus remaining half-fed and resorting to begging. Chapati-veg curry, idli-lentil curry as well as veg biryani, payasa, and fruits are being served on special days. A project suggested by Dr. Mubashir. In all Rs. 30 lakh is being spent on Karunya Scheme, annually. While, the members and philanthropists provide continuous support, on birthdays and anniversaries, the public offers help in the form of sponsorships. In total, Rs. 8,000 is the requirement for a day. Every day two members of the organisation compulsorily participate in Karunya duty once in 15 days and offer their services. A staff has also been appointed for this project, exclusively. Observing the work undertaken through this project, the District Lions has donated a machine to prepare chapati, idli as well as food truck (MEALS ON WHEELS). A rented house has been obtained at Valencia near Kankanady, Mangalore for installation of the new machines. So for, Rs. 2.40 Crore has been spent towards Karunya Scheme.

‘Class on Wheels’: Computer Bus

Noticing that children of government primary schools in rural areas are deprived of computer education, an innovative project called “Class on Wheels” has been started to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the organization (18-11-2023). This bus with computer lab is probably the first-of-its-kind experiment in the state. This bus operates on government yards in rural areas and provides basic computer classes. Crash courses are being conducted to the public during school holidays. The bus is equipped with air-conditioned classroom, 17 laptops, desk, 32 chairs, TV projector, sound system, biometric device, CC camera, location tracker, two ACs, power point, generator, drinking water and water for hand washing inside the bus. A class can be conducted for 32 students at a time. Basic computer classes are being imparted to 5,000 students, annually. The bus consists of 4 staff members that include two teachers, one driver and conductor. The bus is sponsored by Haneef Puttur, an NRI member working as government employee in Dubai, and the entire maintenance is being undertaken by M. Friends with the cooperation of donors. In all, Rs. 60 lakh has been spent to begin the project and Rs. 15 lakh is being incurred as maintenance cost, annually.

Contribution to Field of Health

In the organization’s early days, financial assistance was continuously provided to poor/disabled patients who remained in the wards of private hospitals unable pay their bills. Aid was provided to get the corpses released through payment of bills. This service was gradually reduced after various government schemes were provided for the purpose. Currently, wheel chairs, walkers, water beds, medicines, scanning, ambulance facility, artificial legs, medical shoes, surgery clippers, splints, neucal blenders, commode wheel chairs and crutches etc. are being provided free of charge to disabled patients from various parts of the state. So far, approximately Rs. 45 lakh has been provided for such schemes.

Survey in Rural Areas

Organization identifies unrecognized villages and surveys the houses of the disabled in such areas and implement basic infrastructure, health, education incentives, health camps, re-enrollment of school dropouts, house construction/repairs, toilet construction/repairs, tube wells, facility for permanent medicine and ration etc. So far, 450 houses in Dakshina Kannada district have been surveyed by our members. An estimated amount of Rs. 30 lakh has been spent for the scheme.

Emergency Help during Covid

The people of our state who were stranded abroad were brought safely in collaboration with My Community Foundation through chartered flights. Concentrator machine, oxygen regulators and oxygen cylinders required during emergency were provided to the Covid patients. Emergency ration was arranged for 1,200 selected disabled families in Dakshina Kannada and Hassan districts. As per the directives of the task force of the Deputy Commissioner of Dakshina Kannada, continuous food was provided to the associates of the patients of Wenlock Hospital as well as the Lady Goschen Government Hospital Mangalore, the patients of Attavar KMC Hospital and the District Government Covid Hospital. Continuous food packets were distributed to the drivers and operators of emergency service trucks and other vehicles on the Mangalore-Bangalore National Highway (Kalladka) during the lockdown. During Covid, lakhs of rupees were collected from the members and emergency medicines were delivered to many homes instead of buying new clothes to mark Eid. The organization has shouldered several cremations. Estimated Rs. 65 lakh has been spent on COVID emergency scheme.

Committee of Like-Minded

M. Friends denotes Mercy Friends. It can be said that these friends are friends who have compassion. At present there are 64 trust members. Rasheed Vitla as Founder President (2013-16), Umar U. H. as Secretary, and Mohammed Haneef Haji Golthamajal as Treasurer have provided their service to the organisation. In the next three and a half years (2016-19) Mohammed Haneef Haji Golthamajal was the President, Rasheed Vitla was the General Secretary and Sujah ​​Mohammed was the Treasurer. U.T. Khader served as the Honorary President. During the term, 2020-24 Mohammed Haneef Haji Golthamajal as President and Rasheed Vitla as General Secretary. K. Abubakar Notary was elected as Treasurer, Sujah Mohammed as Vice President, Arif Padubidri as Secretary and Zubair Bulerikatte and Dr. Mubashir as Core Committee Members. A dinner meet of the members (on their own expense) was organised every month and the best decisions for the future have been taken. A 15-member management committee has been formed for the year 2024-26 after the current General Assembly dissolved the core committee. At Present Zakariya Jokatte Al Muzain as Chairman, Sujah Mohammed as working president, Arif Padubidri as General Secretary and Zubair Bulerikatte was elected as treasurer. Dr. Mubashir, V.H. Ashraf and Abubaker Puttu as Vise Presidents. Anwar Husain and Sheikh Isak Secretaries. Mohammed Haneef Golthamajal, Rasheed Vitla, Mohammed Sharief Moodabidri, Kalander Partippady, K. Abubaker Vitla and Haneef Puttur (Dubai) Members. The Trust is recognised under Section 12 AA, 80G of Income Tax Department. Further, the Trust has its own deed and bylaws. The amount is received and disbursed by the Trust as per the rules of the Income Tax Department. Utmost transparency has been maintained. Chartered Accountant Ahmed U.H. has been serving the organization as auditor. The organization consists of six staff members.

Variety of Programes

National festivals like Independence Day, Republic Day, Kannada Rajyotsava, Children’s Day, Eid, Diwali, Christmas, Ramzan Iftar etc. are celebrated in mosques, old age homes, schools, centres of sufferers from endosulphan, home for children with HIV, hospitals and prisons in unique manner from time to time. Awareness camp and information against corruption, donation of books on literature to libraries, distribution of identity cards, belts, note books, bags, motivational classes for students, photo exhibition of stray dogs, counselling, awareness march and screening camp for kidney disease, tribute to disabled soldiers, assistance to specially-gifted children, marking of Karunya’s 1,000th and 1,500th day through ceremonies, finding and reuniting a woman who has been missing for several years with the family, financial assistance to get prisoners who have not been proved guilty release from jails in the country and abroad, home loan payments to banks, financial aid for marriages among others have been arranged. The meetings and events have been organized in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar. In all, Rs. 35 lakh has been spent for the project.

Future Projects-Plans

There has been a deliberation to buy land around Mangalore and implement permanent projects related to education and health sector.

Our bank account details for those who wish to provide financial contribution to our projects

M Friends Charitable Trust
A/C No: 3058101003352
Bank: Canara Bank
Branch: Vittal
IFSC: CNRB0003058
Income Tax Act 1961 Approval No: Bangalore/80G/2020-21/A/10260
DIN & Order No: ITBA/Exm/S/80G/2020-21/1031115243 (1)
PAN No: AAGTM5568H
Our Contact Number: +91 9008095550/+91 9611105548/+91 9343381816/+91 9902332666

Address:

M Friends Charitable Trust (R) Mangalore
Janet Caldeira, Low-Lands,
Opposite Jeppu Seminary, 3rd Cross, Holy Rosary Convent Road
Kankanady Post, Mangalore – 575002

Our Websites:

www.mfriends.in
www.classonwheels.com
E-mail: info@mfriends.in/info@classonwheels.com
FB/Insta: mfriends
Youtube: mfriends

BOARD OF DIRECTORS (2024-26)

Chairman: Zakariya Jokatte

Working President: Sujah Mohammed

Gen. Secretary: Arif Padubidri

Vice President’s : Dr. Mubashir / V.H. Ashraf / Abubaker Puttu

Secretaries: Anwar Husain / Sheikh Isak

Director’s: Mohammed Haneef G / Rasheed Vitla / Mohammed Sharief / Kalander Partippady / Abubaker K / Haneef Ballery Puttur

Members
B.M. Shareef Bolar, Ashraf Abbas Kunjathur, Younus Hassan, Thufail Indian, Mansoor Azad, Musthafa S.M, Shaukath Ali Bantwal, Mohammed Muhsin, Irshad B.M, Ashkaf, Shakir Puttur, Mujeeb Mangalore, Siddique S. Muscat, Arif Bellare, Dr. Abdul Basheer V.K, Faruk Portway, Abdulla Monu Qatar, Shahul Hameed Ujire, Ameer Abbas Kunjathur, Mohammed Rafeek K, Mohammed Haris M.K, Mohammed Shareef Sharja, Mohammed Navaz K, Abubaker Group4, Mohammed Haneef U, Ahmed Mustafa G, Mohammed Safwan Vitla, C.H. Abdul Gafoor, Hamza Bastikkodi, Hameed Attur, Ismail Kolpe, Irshad Mangalore, Ansar Bellare, Rifai Kodipady, Hasainar Guruvayankere, Abbas U, Irshad Thumbe, Ashik Kukkaje, Ashraf Baraka, Taher Salmara, B.A. Mohammed Ali, Abdul Hameed G, Ibrahim Moideen N, Basheer Ahmed, Latheef Neerkaje, Nousheen V.K, Mohammed T.K, Mohammed Kukkuvalli, Mohammed Riyaz Puttur