By Matters India Reporter
Peratta, September 10, 2020: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Tellicherry Social Service Society (TSSS), a social work wing of the Archdiocese of Tellicherry, continues to build houses for the poor in Kannur and Kasargod districts of Kerala.
On September 9, a new house built by TSSS was blessed for a parishioner of St. Antony’s Church, Peratta, Koottupuzha, Kerala.
It was built with the collaboration of Kerala Catholic Youth Movement, Vincent de Paul, Malankara Social Service Society, various social volunteers and members of the parish community, Thalassery.
The new house was for Biju, a parishioner who is suffering from diseases and various financial problems.
Biju, his sick mother, wife and children were suffering from not having a home to lay in. In a rainy season, the misery of a poor family suffering from diseases was a memory to tear everyone’s eyes. But today the small mountain village of Peratta is also happy with Biju and his family, said Father Manoj Kidaram, TSSS director.
Biju’s house was the 68th house built by the TSSS this year and this is the 371st house built so far.
“Building houses together for the deserving poor with people’s contribution and support is a great example of brotherly love that uplifts the Christian faith,” said Father Manoj Kitarathil, parish priest of St. Antony’s Church, Peratta.
Housing and sanitation are some of the major projects of TSSS. It is an actualization of owning a livable house in clean surroundings for the houseless people without any discrimination of caste, religion and political affiliation.
Despite the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of coronavirus, TSSS is trying its best to provide houses to people who are poor and suffering because of serious health, poverty and financial crisis, said Father Fr. Benny Nirappel, TSSS secretary.
Started in 1966, TSSS caters to the socially and economically disadvantaged sections in society.
According to Father Nirappel, the thought of the mainstream community of Kerala is to highlight as developed. TSSS concentrates on the less developed Malabar area in the Western Ghats.
Started with the charity approach, TSSS is a journey to development with the welfare and human rights-based approaches. It tries to change the course of people’s life conditions bringing them to a centered stage from the periphery.
TSSS is a part of various NGO networks such as Caritas Network, North Malabar NGO Network, SafP Network and Kerala Social Service Forum.
It advocates lobbying regional issues, environmental problems, gender concerns and child rights as areas of its focus.