URSULINE SISTERS OF TILDONK RANCHI INDIA
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URSULINE SISTERS OF TILDONK RANCHI INDIA |
"I Have come, that they may have life; and have it to the full." (Jn. 10:10)
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Action Aid sponsorship programme was started in India in 1973. The Ursulines came in contact with the agency in 1974. They were allotted 2000 sponsorships in 15 schools. Case histories and photographs of the needy children of the schools were sent to Action Aid office, London. Within six months almost all these children found sponsors. With the money received from the sponsors through Action Aid the children were provided with school lunch, snacks, text books, stationery, school uniforms, medical help etc. Occasionally the families of the sponsored children received help, especially for health. Non-sponsored, poor children also were helped from the money received for the sponsored ones. After a couple of years another 1500 children were sponsored in different schools as more children started coming to school. Sister Mary Therese George and Sister Adeline Bara have been on the staff of Action Aid giving their loving and dedicated services to the poor and needy children of Ranchi school. Sister Mary Therese George was the contact person in the centre for all the Ursuline units. Christian Children's Fund In 1973 CCF (Christian Children's Fund), another International Non-Project and Non-Sectarian Humanitarian Organization was introduced to obtain aid for the needy school children. It works for the promotion of Child Welfare through the concept of sponsorship. There are six CCF Ursuline Project Centres - Ranchi, Khunti, Dorma, Noatoli, Sundil and Chakradharpur in the State of Jharkhand and recently one at Kodaura in Chattisgarh State. CCF started functioning as a school project. The aims and objectives of CCF:
The ultimate aim of CCF is to encourage self sufficiency and self reliance. The Project provided the enrolled children with educational aid-text books, stationery, uniforms, foot wear, educational tour, Inter-Project Sports Meet on State level, midday meal and medical care. A few years later the attention was diverted to the welfare of the families of the enrolled children. Balwadi Centres were started to take care of 0 to 6 year old children for their nutrition and Pre-Primary education. They received supplementary nutrition, immunization and health services and pre-school facilities. Their growth chart was maintained. School going children received woollen garments for winter in addition to useful items for home use e.g. gas stove, water filter, water container, table and chair, trunk, solar lamp, cycles for those who come from far, buckets, lanterns, mosquito nets etc. Once a year they are medically checked. After the completion of secondary schooling, they are supported either for university studies or for vocational training. For the economic development, needy families of sponsored children are provided with fertilizers, potato and onion seedlings, fruit free saplings, water pump sets, oxen for ploughing, cows and buffaloes, goats and pigs for rearing. Farmers are being trained to get the most produce from their fields. For environmental improvement and better housing, the Project provides funds for house repairs, digging of wells and ponds, low cost sanitation etc. Unemployed members are given aid towards professional training in driving, cycle repair, carpentry, tailoring, etc. Income generating schemes like candle and chalk making, mushroom cultivation are also encouraged. Adult Literacy Programme is taking top priority. To eradicate illiteracy night schools for adults are conducted. Illiterate parents and adults are eager to learn. Ranchi C.C.f. Project started two youth clubs. They are provided with competition books, magazines, games articles, coaching in maths, science subjects and spoken English and also courses in leadership, self-awareness, motivation, social evils like alcoholism, drug addiction and how to eradicate them. They are animated to participate in social works. In this way the youths are being trained to organize themselves. The present staff on the C.C.F. consists of the following Sisters who render their best services as full timers fulfilling their assigned tasks in various capacities. C.C.F. Project Project Managers Correspndent Ranchi
Sr. James Soreng Sr. Leona
Navhand Accountants Health workers Social workers Sr. Angela Kullu Jacinta Lakra
6 Chetnalaya Gratefully the invitation of the Archdiocese of Delhi was accepted and Ursuline sisters launched into Delhites' life since 1983. Mayur Vihar, across the River Jumna was the only residence available at that time. They soon entered into the life stream of a mixed community of all castes, creeds and religions. some of them jointed the staff at chetnalaya in different capacities. Sisters Esther Pratiti Kerketta, Agatha Topno, Leonarda Lakra as Health co-ordinators; Sisters Stella Tigga and Gemma Toppo as Co-ordinators of drop-outs; Sisters Mary Kujur and Sushila Kujur as Co-ordinators of Balwadis. At present, sister Sushila Kujur is Area In-Charge of Community Building and Sister Leonarda Lakra joins the others in "The Cancer Support Society." From early morning to late evening, their life has been very busy; walking around in and out of season through the narrow lanes of crowded suburbs and slum areas, supervising and evaluating the work that was going on, keeping the records and submitting the reports to the office. In the evenings and during the holidays, visiting the people in their homes, praying with them over the sick, brought the community closer to God. The second Ursuline Community "Merici Convent" is at West Patel Nagar. To start with there was a creche on a small scale and a small boarding for the working ladies. At present one of the most important ministries is caring for the Domestic Working girls. Sister Sophia Dungdung has put her heart and soul in this work. C.R.S. Office, Jalpaiguri Sister Helen Kerketta began with a prelliminary survey in order to study the life situations of the people in the villages and tea gardens. She stayed among them and came out with rich experience of their hectic life, poverty and hard work in the tea gardens with no time to care for their children who have almost no schooling in the poorly managed tea garden "Primary Schools". They also become victims of child labour in the tea garden since they don't need education, to be employed as tea pickers. There are many drop-out cases, Poverty and illiteracy bring frustration in life; hence many take to drinking. Survival becomes a struggle. Sister Helen Kerketta took the initiative of organizing Awareness Training and Motivation for Action (A.T.M.A.), after attending this programme herself. The follow up of this programme was taken up by Women's Organization. Sister coordinated Mother and Child Care programme and guided the village level workers of 6 such Centres. Fifty one leaders from ten parishes received Pre-school Teachers' Training Saving schemes were started in M.C.H. Centres. Income generating programmes were planned on local levels. She trained the local people and formed a team to work with. Sister had regular contact with voluntary as well as government Agencies. Social Development Centre -Dumka Diocese The Diocese of Dumka opened the door of Social Development Centre for the Ursuline Sisters in 1985, in the most backward Santhal Parganas, Bihar, during the tenure of the then Bishop Telesphore P. Toppo. sister Lutgardis Barla worked 16 years as Education Co-ordinator of the Primary Schools. Administrator of SDC and sponsorship in charge of 300 children, in this tribal belt to improve the quality of teaching and education. In close collaboration with the Diocesan authorities, Action Aid Agency brought a new awakening in the field of education. The poor children of school going age received help required for schooling. All the Middle and Primary Parish schools and Feeding schools at Primary level in the villages started flourishing. Apart from academic studies co-curricular activities were regularly organized on inter-school levels. Competitions in artc, painting, drawing, elocution, cultural programmes were opportunities to develop the children's gifts and talents. Early Child Development Programme (EDP) was started with 15-20 Balwadi Centres giving solid foundation to the children through Pre-Primary education. To improve upon the quality of teaching, in-service training programmes and refresher courses for teachers were organized during the holidays. Educated villagers were also trained to conduct Adult Education Centres. Fifteen to twenty such centres were opened. Action Aid Agency made part payment to the teachers; students benefited in receiving books, stationery, midday lunch etc. sister Lutgardis Barla visited every school from time to time to inspect, evaluate and give directions to the teachers. AROUSE (Animation Rural Out-Reach Service) - Gumla Diocese This is a project for the economic development of the tribals of Chota Nagpur, started by Rev. Fr. Van Nuffel S.J. in Gumla by taking on a 30 "Centre National Adult Education Programme" as a social outreach of St. Ignatius High School, Gumla. This gave a unique opportunity to the Ursulines of Gumla to collaborate in this programme. sisters Bernardine Kiro, Patricia Dungdung and Ursula Xalxo joined the Team, each for four years from 1983 to 1994. The Sisters were responsible to organize the activities undertaken in the villages - visit the centres in the field, hold meetings, animate the workers, supervise the work, submit the reports, evaluate and check the progress. The out-reach services are:
In spite of the declining health Rev. Fr. Van Nuffel remains a source of inspiration and the project goes on flourishing and expanding. Sisters are grateful for the opportunity they have had to serve the villagers with dedication and commitment. The Ursuline Sisters involved in Arouse: Sister Bernardine Kiro
: 1983-1986 Food preservation Centre at Ursuline Convent, Gumla This centre has been a brain-child of Rev. Marc De Brouwer S.J. On September 10, 1993, the first group of "Mushroom" Training started with 20 candidates. It was inaugurated by D.R.D.A. Gumla. This training programme was conducted with the team of Fr. De Brouwer. In January, 1994, Sister Albertina Toppo followed a one month training in Bariatu. Fr. De Brouwer got the grant for the extension of rooms for the training. On November 28, 1994, Food PreservationTraining began for the first time with 13 college hostel students. It continued with groups of women from nearby villages. From time to time Sister Albertina goes to the villages to conduct the same training. The trainees get demonstration classes on preparing pickles, squash and varieties of cookies. Another very important part of the training of this centre is growing of cocoons. Thousands of cocoons are grown and supplied to the silk weaving centre at AROUSE.
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