The Province, St. Francis Xavier, India, has extended its branches from the north to the south and from the east to the west with 23 communities. The diversity and beauty of India is something unique. The apostolate of the Province is in the fields of health, education, pastoral and social work. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; He has sent me to bring Good News to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim the liberty to captives, and release to prisoners (Is 61, 1).”

The prophet Isaíah proclaims the year of grace of the Lord. This passage fills our hearts with hope of a new society where the captives will be liberated and those who weep be comforted.

The Province of India is responding to the cry of a people, especially the maltreated women and children. There are 400 Self Help groups and 10 hostels for girls where they are helped in human dignity. We count on several sisters prepared professionally in the field of social work.

 Network of Non governmental Organizations:

IMK (Indira Míala Kalyan paridad Subdega Orissa), Kala Vikas Paridad, Badgoan and (RSSS) Social Service Rourkela in the diocesan level is also a member of the central Team for emergency cases, Orissa. Social Service Sangamitra, Bangalore, (CHAI) Catholic Association for  Health, a sister is working as coordinator at HIV/Centers of AIDS at Andhara Pradesh, another sister works at the level of national Cáritas of New Delhi, as member of the Council of government in the evaluation and planning.

 The promotion of the woman is the key for the change:

 The women are the agents of change in the family, in the place of work and in society. We assume the formation of women through the "Self-help Groups ". The aim of these groups is to make them self-sufficient, which entails individual and group formation, personal development and self esteem.

One of the activities developed in the group consists in micro - financing, something that provides them autonomy. The women have learned how to distribute their savings with a minimal interest inside the group and a greater interest outside. This program of micro-financing liberates them from heavy lendings of banks and landowners, and makes them increase their own funds. Also they receive income from small scale industries such as: assembling of stabilizers, taking care of animals, cultivation and sewing. These are the activities of women, which have provided dignity to them in their place of work and in their family, as one who provides their bread.

Having acquired qualities of leadership, the group of women has helped to be agents of change in our patriarchal society. They become conscious of their need to work in the field of Justice. In the above mentioned groups, the women have been informed of their Basic Rights, which means an approach of the basic right in development, which promotes justice, equality and freedom, and to intervene in the mechanisms of ‘Power’ that is at the root of poverty and exploitation. To arrive at this, a ‘Right based approach’ that uses norms, principles and methods of Human rights, and social  activism is presented . An approach based on ‘Rights’ carries with it special efforts to identify those that are marginalized in order to ensure that these Rights do not remain forgotten. Those who do not own properties, have the right to enjoy these Rights, in the government run programmes.

  Examples: Antyodaya (Programmes for the landless) Ana Lojana (Program of food at midday for children) ICDS (Services for the integral development of the children) Annapurna (Programmes for pensions of old age) NOAPS (National Plan for maternal subsidy) NFBS (National Plan for family help).

The aim of these Programs, initiated in the year 2000, consists in providing special assistance of basic food for unprotected families. A Ration Card is provided to these homes ("Antyodaya Card”) authorizing them quotas of grain at highly subsidized prices. Nowadays, the holders of this Antyodaya card have a right to 35 kg of grain per month, in Rs (ruphias) 2/kg of flour and in RS 3/kg. of rice. At the beginning, the Antyodaya plan covered 10 million families, this was extended to 15 million and later to 20 million. These plans have been manipulated by the intermediaries and the poor have not received the real quantity. For all these the groups of women are trained in legal committees to obtain correct information, as well as to honor their rights and, if necessary, to exercise pressure on the intermediaries.

 

Carmelite Missionaries
Province of St. Francis Xavier – India.