The Divine Word Missionaries in the Indian state of Odisha are running a range of projects to support people living in the marginalised slum communities and to give them the education, skills, motivation, leadership animation, and financial assistance to help lift them out of poverty, reports Society Matters mission magazine.

Fr Rasal Xess SVD, the Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation Coordinator for the SVD India East Province (INE) said the urban poverty is characterised by exclusion, including inadequate and insecure housing and basic services, limited access to services like health, nutrition and water sanitation.

“Slums have marked characteristics like overcrowding, precarious living conditions, environmental hazards, improper sanitation and air pollution causing health hazards,” he said.

The SVD Provincial House is situated in Jharsuguda town where the urban poverty is particularly vivid.

“The slum life equally affects women, youth, children, men and the environment in its totality,” Fr Rasal said.

The SVD has responded to the situation of the people with four key projects, supported by the SVD Australia Province through the generous support of benefactors and partners in mission.

They are: Animation of Urban Poor Women in the Slum; Education animation for slum children in Jharsuguda; Animation of rag pickers in Jharsuguda; and Animation of Transgender people in Jharsuguda.

“As long as there is negligence towards the empowerment of urban women there will always be a lacuna in the development efforts,” Fr Rasal said.

“There are so many urban poor women who, given an opportunity, can bring positive change in the life of individuals, family and society.

“The objectives of the project are women’s empowerment through formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), to promote the habit of saving in women, to enable women to be involved in decision-making processes in families, the community and local self-government, to prevent migration through initiating income-generating activities and thus to prevent exploitation and human trafficking.”

Fr Rasal said the project, which covers the animation of about 680 urban poor women in 14 slums of Jharsuguda, has already brought positive changes to the lives of the women involved.

“Out of 34 SHGs, 27 groups have taken bank loans to start their own income-generating activities,” Fr Rasal said.

“Women SHGs as individuals and as groups, are engaged in start-ups and businesses like grocery shops, small-scale farming, livestock rearing, fast food selling and clothing sales.

“The Women SHGs have also addressed the work of health and sanitation in the slums. They are able to take up leadership roles to meet their needs in consultation with municipality offices.”

The project has also helped the women to maintain and regularise their SHG registers, meetings and bank dealings.

“Apart from all this, the project continuously accompanies them through various training programs and awareness events which help them to learn and decide collectively for their own good. They also tackle the issues pertaining to them that arise in the locality. The project has indeed added dignity to their lives,” Fr Rasal said.

The project providing education animation for the slum children of Jharsuguda aims to support the children accessing education.

“Urban poor children are always deprived of early schooling,” Fr Rasal said. “They are many times victims of child labour and are used for anti-social activities in the cities.

“Through the education animation of slum children, they are given extra attention and classes for their learning and they are also directed to schools for further learning.

“Through these projects, slum children are given motivational accompaniment and there is a collective effort to provide character formation.

“The Society of the Divine Word carries out education animation activities for urban poor children through tuition classes and various motivation programs.

“This program helps children to read, write and understand the concepts prescribed in the academic schedule.”

The project involves the SVD missionaries visiting the children and families in the slum; conducting preparatory classes as part of education animation; motivation, quizzes and skills training; awareness of health and hygiene; Awareness building on issues of child abuse; and the Celebration of International Children’s Day.

“The project has had a big impact. Children from the slums are now regularly attending and tuition classes and both parents and children are motivated towards the education of children,” Fr Rasal said.

“Children are learning to be disciplined and are increasing their capacity to read and write. A few children from the slums are performing better in their exams and the over-all interest level of children towards school and education has increased.”

Jharsuguda is also home to a growing number of rag-pickers among the slums as people seek to make a small living.

“Along with their small-scale livelihood, they contribute towards creating a cleaner environment in the cities,” Fr Rasal said.

“Our intervention is helping them towards better health and livelihood practices.”

The project includes the SVD missionaries visiting the rag-pickers and their families in the slum; Availing them of possible government benefits; Collaborating with the rag buyers and dealers; Helping the rag pickers’ children through informal education; Forming a rag pickers group; Creating awareness about health and hygiene; Creating a saving mentality; and Organising a health camp for the rag pickers.

“Through this project we’re in touch with about 44 rag pickers and we’ve been able to link them to ration benefits and health benefits through Government health care centres,” Fr Rasal said.

“The children of rag pickers are given informal education and through this project, rag buyers or dealers are made to pay the required amount for the rags collected and sold. The project also provides blankets during winter for those who need them.”

Fr Rasal said there is also a transgender community in Jharsuguda whose members face a lot of discrimination due to social stigma.

“Our intervention helps the target group to live with dignity and respect. The project also facilitates skills training towards decent income-earning for transgender people and helps us reach out to them with animation programs.”

Fr Rasal thanked the Australia Province and its benefactors and partners in mission for helping the projects come to life.

“Thank you very much for supporting the animation work towards urban and rural poor and labour migrants in Jharsuguda, Odisha,” he said.

IMAGE: Front cover of the Autumn edition of Society Matters magazine, which is produced by the SVD Australia Province. To see this story and more mission stories in the flip-book edition, click here.

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