By C.M. Paul
Kochi, December 5, 2025 — In the crowded lanes of Perumbavoor and the quiet shelter of Palluruthy, migrant workers from Odisha, Bengal, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Jharkhand shared stories of hardship and resilience with a visiting Don Bosco for Migrants (DB4M) team.
Their voices — of mothers, factory hands, and young men far from home — framed the human face of India’s vast migrant workforce during a two‑day immersion in Kerala.
The November 29–30 Source and Destination Visit brought together DB4M representatives from Tiruchy, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Kolkata, who met government officials, NGOs, police, and church institutions across Vaduthala, Angamaly, Perumbavoor, and Palluruthy. The mission began with a Eucharistic celebration in Angamaly, where Fr. Francis Bosco reminded participants that migrant welfare is a shared responsibility of Church, civil society, and state.
Field encounters revealed stark realities: healthcare gaps, workplace accidents, wage disputes, and social vulnerabilities such as child marriage and drug use. Inspector Samad of Kerala Police stressed documentation and child protection, while Rajagiri Suraksha Migrant Project highlighted risks of sexually transmitted infections.
A bright spot was the Salesian‑run Migrant Shelter in Palluruthy, where 50 workers lived in dignity through collective management of housing and food — a model DB4M praised as replicable elsewhere. Visits to Kitex garment factory and St. George Church underscored the dual migrant experience: structured employment alongside restricted mobility and educational challenges for children.
The Centre for Migration and Inclusive Development (CMID) offered a wider lens, noting Kerala’s growing reliance on migrant labour amid a shrinking youth population. Their mobile health clinics, multilingual campaigns, and helpline collaborations illustrated integrated strategies for migrant inclusion.
In its evaluation, DB4M acknowledged the need for longer visits and outlined urgent priorities: pastoral support for Odia migrants, stronger Mass offerings in industrial hubs, involvement of seminarians in migrant apostolates, educational coordination with NGOs, and collaboration with Odia priests during major festivals.
The visit closed with gratitude to CMID, SEWA, the Salesians, and the Kerala Migrant Commission. DB4M reaffirmed its commitment to continuous accompaniment of India’s migrant workforce — men and women whose labour sustains Kerala’s economy, yet whose dignity and justice remain unfinished tasks