By Matters India Reporter
Patna, April 30, 2020: An NGO launched two decades ago by a Catholic nun in Patna to campaign for the shelter rights of poor is currently busy helping those affected by the nationwide lockdown.
Presentation Sister Dorothy Fernandes, founder director of Aashray Abhiyan (AA, Campaigning for Shelter Rights), says they joined the relief works after receiving “innumerable calls” from the poor for food other essentials.
During the early days of the lockdown, they used phone to coordinate relief works. They also set up community kitchens with the help of the municipal commissioner to provide fresh meals to the hungry.
“With the collaboration of lawyers and other networks we ensured that no one in our knowledge remained hungry. We raised money through crowd funding that helped us provide food grains to some 100 families,” Sister Fernandes told Matters India.
According to her, the pandemic and subsequent lockdown have affected the most the homeless living on roadsides and slums. It has not spared rickshaw pullers, construction workers, domestic helpers, small vendors, and cleaners, although they have contributed to the city’s economy with their hard work.
As the lockdown continued and the situation became grave, the AA team managed to get passes for various types of vehicles they use. “This helped us move freely and assess people’s situation. Our friends, family members, two provincials in Patna and well wishers began to send contributions to us. We used the money to procure food grains, rice, flour and lentils. It used to worry us when people called to say they were hungry,” Sister Fernandes elaborated.
The nun’s NGO has so far provided food grains to some 1,100 families in Patna and Bhagalpur, another town in Bihar. The team brought the rations to people’s doorsteps while strictly maintaining social distancing. They have reached out to daily wage earners, construction workers, vendors among others.
“Our target is to reach out to some 100,000 families in Bihar. A fundraising drive has been set up,” Sister Fernandes said.
The NGO has also written to the Chief Justice of Patna about “the pathetic situation” of the Public Distribution System in the state.
“Food grains were not available and dealers functioned without supervision. The chief justice accepted our letter and forwarded it to the state chief secretary,” the nun added.
Now, all those with ration card can fill the form and avail rations. “Our team is also engaged in monitoring these procedures, contacting officers and sharing information with our people,” Sister Fernandes said.
Sister Fernandes said their “committed team of women and men of all faiths” has advocated and liaisoned with various government department in the past 20 years for the rights of the urban poor in Bihar.
“Unfortunately the city goers look upon them as parasites, not even being aware of their contribution to make life easier for them,” she pointed out.
She said she watched with abhorrence “insensitive and callous administration” used bulldozers to destroy the huts of the poor.
“We at Aashray Abhiyan have organized our people and have fought tooth and nail to save their dwellings, their livelihoods and their food sovereignty,” she explained.
She says their work caused a stir in many government departments. “One thing they know for certain is that once Aashray Abhiyan takes up an issue, it does not give up easily as it speaks the truth with conviction,” the nun claimed.
One impact of their campaign was Anupam Kumar Suman, a former Patna Municipal Corporation commissioner, began projects to provide toilets and water connections in slums. “He requested us to identify two women preferably from the units to be city ambassadors,” Sister Fernandes said.
The city managers of the corporation’s six zones worked with the ‘city ambassadors’ to identify places. He held two meetings in his chamber with some 70 “city ambassadors” and ensured that the slums were clean, with street lights and e-rickshaws to pick up the garbage.
“At one meeting he promised that he would not demolish any of their dwellings. When the chief minister ordered him to demolish the slums he refused saying he could not in conscience do it.”
As pressure mounted Suman resigned and took six months off for reflection. “We met him on several occasions and he confessed that he was inspired by our work,” Sister Fernandes recalled.
The Ngo invited Suman join them. “After much reflection, he accepted our invitation to be the president of our organization from February 16. We are now committed to spread our work in entire Bihar under his leadership,” the nun explained.
By then, the coronavirus had arrived in India and giving the nun’s NGO more than a handful of tasks.