Bangalore: A new commission of the archdiocese of Bangalore has given migrant workers in the southern Indian city to gain a sense of belonging.
“I had felt like a stranger when I began working in this city, but now I have brothers and sisters here,” said a participant of an animation program for migrant workers the commission organized on March 20.
More than 120 workers from Orissa, Assam, Jharkhand, Meghalaya, Arunachal, Manipur, West Bengal and other states attended the first program of the commission, which was formed in August 2015.
Commission secretary Fr. Shaju Kalapurakkal said they took months to reach out to migrant workers and students in the six districts that the archdiocese covers. “Our intention is to reach out to many more migrants and make them feel at home during their stay here.” the Sacred Heart Fathers of Betharram told Matters India.
The commission plans to focus on working women in various units of garment factories and conduct awareness programs. It will work with the archdiocesan labor commission to ensure better accommodation facilities and service conditions for the women.
It will regularly monitor the living conditions of the women so that they can live without fear and enjoy a sense of identity. The Church wants the women to feel being wanted and cared for, the secretary said.
Recourse person Bro. Xavier and team from Spiritual Revival Ministry lead the participants in praise and worship and an inner healing service with the help of Bangalore Christian community of Meghalaya (Khasi group). It was followed by an input session and interaction from the participants.
Salesian Father Ramesh from the DB Tech guided the participants with techniques to cope up with the challenges of city life and shared with them the available resources for career growth, counseling, skill-based jobs and recourse to labor laws. The program concluded with Mass presided by Redemptorist Father Iganance Dundung.