Poor tribals are helped to augment their earnings by Catholic Relief Services

Ashalata’s life changed when she learnt to make fishing nets that provided her with a steady income.

Birbal Kora learnt to supplement his seasonal income from growing paddy by cultivating chickpeas as well.

These are only some of the lives touched by Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and changed for the better.

The philanthropic organisation, based in Baltimore, US, began its activities in India in 1946, when it distributed food among the famine-stricken people. Sixty years on, it is involved in diverse activities, including spreading HIV/AIDS awareness, imparting life-skill education to adolescents and improving the living condition of the tribals.

“Catholic Relief Services came to India in 1946 to distribute food among the famine-hit people, especially in Bengal. It had based its operations in Mumbai. The office in Calcutta was opened in 1951,” said Sanchita Banerjee, the organisation’s representative in Bengal.

The Indian headquarters of CRS is in Delhi, but the planning and execution are done mostly by the regional offices. “We study the requirement of the areas under our control and plan accordingly,” explained Sanchita.

Some of the areas in which the organisation has made a difference are education, healthcare, mother and child care, and disaster management. The primary task of providing relief also continues.

“Our programmes are implemented by coordinators, dioceses and other organisations. But CRS’s involvement does not end with providing funds. We also help with technical expertise and know-how,” said Sanchita.

Among the coordinators of CRS is Udayani.

In association with Udayani, CRS is educating the children of prison inmates.

“We run a primary school on the premises of Presidency jail for children of the inmates. We also try to get those children who are outside but whose parents are lodged in the jail,” said Father Xavier Jeyaraj.

A prominent coordinator of the organisation is the Missionaries of Charity.

A nun quoted from a recent speech by Sister Nirmala: “Missionaries of Charity was formed in Calcutta in 1950 by our Mother. Mother remembered with deep gratitude that in the very early phases, when there were not many to help us, CRS was there.”