Nun’s “cylinder challenge” helps women in lockdown

By Lissy Maruthanakuzhy

Panaji, Aug 29, 2020: A Catholic nun who combines teaching and social activism has launched a project to help women facing financial difficulties because of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The Cylinder Challenge is a simple initiative with the participation of our staff and students to support women who have lost jobs due to Covid-19 lockdown,” says Sister Lizzy Chakkalakal, principal of Our Lady’s Convent Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Fort Kochi, Kerala.

The member of the Franciscan Missionaries of Mary, a religious congregation for women started in India in the 19th century, has already made headlines with her “House Challenge” launched in 2012 to help the homeless. She has so far completed 142 houses under the project.

Under the “Cylinder Challenge,” named “Flame of Love,” the nun and her volunteers have provided gas cylinders to 50 families in Kochi.

“We got the help from our school PTA (Parent Teacher Association) members who reached the help to the deserving families,” Sister Chakkalakal told Maters India August 27 over phone.

“Symbolically we had an inauguration of the new project in our school. We continue to share this Flame of Love through Cylinder Challenge with the support of benefactors,” she added.

She said many are willing to support the project so that many more poor families can have the flame in their kitchens,” Sister Chakkalakal said.

On August 26, the 51-year-old nun added one more house to the “House Challenge” by giving a new dwelling place to Muthamma, a migrant woman living in Kochi. “It was funded by a youth group,” she said.

Muthamma, had come to Kerala some years back with her husband and four children. But her husband died unexpectedly due to convulsions leaving Muthamma, a chronic patient who is unable to work.

The widow then started living in a hut in a slum with her children. Some people helped the three girls, educating them in St Aloysius Girls’ Convent School. The elder girl is married now.

Sister Chakkalakal says the girls — Kalyani and Triveni, both graduates — are doing some work while preparing for bank test. The son is also ill and did not study.

The house was a gift from the “House Challenge” to the girls so that they could take care of their mother and brother.

Sister Chakkalakal says four houses are under construction on a 72-cent land donated by a well-wisher. “We have in plan 16 houses on this plot for widows with girl children.”

The diminutive bespectacled nun with smile sees her vocation as pastoral although she works in the school.

“My aim is education through social transformation. We are also partly responsible to help our people along with the government,” she says.

“When we sleep on our comfortable beds, our conscience pricks us knowing that some people are sleeping in unhygienic places,” she says.

“If the involvement of a sister can transform one family, it is a great contribution to our society. Our identity as sisters has such power.”

She also says people are willing to help others through their creative gestures. “We just have to be the medium through which they reach out,” Sister Chakkalakal explained.

According to her, “Social media is the medium for evangelization now. It is the answer to the need of our times. Posting stories on face book for crowdfunding attracted the youth to join our ventures.”

It all started after Sister Chakkalakal discovered that one of her eighth-grade students Clara Banu was homeless. She had lost her father, a mason, and the family had no home or shelter. Seeing her student’s unfortunate plight, Sister Chakkalakal took the initiative to build her family a house.

She raised funds from school teachers, students, neighbors, and others to build the 600 square feet house on a plot owned Clara’s family.

This was the beginning of an initiative to provide housing for those who need it the most. At her school’s Platinum Jubilee celebration held in 2014, Sr Lizzy decided to start the House Challenge Project.

During the floods that ravaged Kerala in August in 2018, she launched the Project Hope that affected 150 houses severely affected. With the help of funds raised and other efforts, some houses were repaired and a few houses completely rebuilt.

The construction of one house required 1.5 million rupees. “The students used to voluntarily donate their birthday gifts and pocket money for the cause. The teachers and parents also chipped in graciously. But the going was tough then.”

After the community realized the noble efforts behind the initiative, support started pouring in. From daily wage labor to politicians, many came forward to build the houses and preferred to remain anonymous. With free labor and building material, the houses were built with 500,000 rupees.All the houses have two bed rooms, hall, kitchen and bathrooms.