Over 500 children are educated in slums and underneath floyovers in South Delhi

Naman Munot, a 24-year-old working professional, has successfully educated over 500 children in slums and underneath flyovers in South Delhi, to protect themselves from asthma, bronchitis or lung damage due to the degrading air quality by gifting them all free air pollution masks.

Graduated from BITS Pilani, the young man worked on a research study on Air Pollution in Delhi under Dr Gazala Habib, Associate Professor IIT Delhi, during his last year of college. It helped him understand the impact and variation of PM 2.5 particles with meteorological factors. His firsthand research helped him realise the condition in the city, will only continue to worsen in the near future.

The national capital continues to battle the thick smog that coats everything in sight on its streets. And, while schools continue to remain shut and people resort to buying air purifiers and masks to breathe easier within the four walls of their homes, a 24-year-old is going out of his way to protect homeless, runaway and slum kids from this toxic air quality on the streets of Delhi.

“This is a step to inspire people to protect themselves and help protect millions of children on the streets of Delhi NCR who need their help. I request everybody who comes across street kids to please buy them a mask and teach them to use it. It’s our responsibility to educate them,” he says.

Street kids are more vulnerable to respiratory issues like asthma, frequent coughing spells, chest tightness, throat and eye irritation, wheezing, see-saw motions in the chest due to laboured breathing etc. So, Naman is urging more and more people to join him in his campaign to protect them.

However small is the gesture, he strongly feels every individual effort counts.

“By just giving every street kid you come across a mask, you can save him/her from asthma, lung cancer, and other respiratory diseases. I can proudly say that today I saved 500 children’s lives from getting severe respiratory diseases”.

Source: The Better India