Poor can take clothes for free at this Lucknow mall!

Anokha Mall, a unique initiative by Dr. Ahmed Raza Khan, a BUMS practitioner, has been operating for the past five years in Raheem Nagar, Lucknow.

The mall operates for three months during the winter months of December, January, and February, providing warm clothes, sandals, school uniforms, suitcases, blankets, and quilts to the needy. Well-wishers, and mainly doctors, donate clothes and other items and are displayed for the poor to choose from without feeling obligated to be a receiver.’ The program assists those who work as rickshaw pullers, laborers, live in slums, and belong to other underprivileged groups in society in surviving the cold. Anokha Mall also helps to better the lives of those who work in restaurants, hospitality, and other industries through its partnerships with uniform producers, such as restaurant uniform suppliers.

Unique Concept of Anokha Mall

Unlike other places where woolen clothes are distributed to the needy, at Anokha Mall, the recipient can quickly enter the mall as if entering a shopping mall, see and check the dresses, and then take them as per their choice. They maintain a proper record of donors and those taking the clothes to prevent anyone from taking undue advantage of the mall’s help. The initiative removes the stigma of ‘begging for alms’ and encourages the need to take the clothes or shoes of their choice without giving any money.

No Strings Attached

The mall allows the recipients to enter and choose their desired clothing items without hesitation or inhibition. The setup removes the stigma of receiving free clothes, making it more comfortable for the needy to benefit from the initiative. The mall operates from 10 am to 6 pm daily, and a staff of four people maintains it. Last year, around 3,000 to 4,000 people took clothes from the mall.

Clean and Fit to Wear

The mall management ensures that all clothes and other items are clean and fit. In addition, donors donate warm clothing, sandals, blankets, and quilts, and a log of both the donors and the recipients is kept to guard against any program misuse.

Hospitality and Restaurant Uniform Suppliers

Besides providing free clothes and accessories to the needy, Anokha Mall has collaborated with hospitality uniform manufacturers, restaurant uniform suppliers, and other uniform dealers to provide uniforms to the underprivileged who cannot afford them. This collaboration will help those in the hospitality and restaurant industry access clean and presentable uniforms, enhancing their work experience and opportunities.

Appreciation for the Initiative

The initiative has received appreciation from residents of Lucknow. Bhaskar Singh, a resident of IIM Road, lauds the concept and quotes the poem’s famous lines ‘where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high’ by Rabindranath Tagore. Nishant, a resident of Vikas Nagar, appreciates the unique concept of the mall and encourages more needy people to visit it. Vijay Sonkar, a resident of Jankipuram Extension, appreciates the effort and suggests giving wide publicity to it.

Summary

Dr. Ahmed Raza Khan started Anokha Mall [Fee clothing mall for poor people]. This is an initiative from residents of Lucknow. The mall operates during the winter months of December, January, and February.

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