The Workshop on “Capacity Building in the Migrant Ministry”

The Workshop on “Capacity Building in the Migrant Ministry” was held from 26-28 July 2023 at the Indian Social Institute, 24, Benson Town, Benson Road, Bangalore. Present were 44 participants, Priests,  Religious, Brothers and Lay Collaborators.  From our Province, we were 3, Sr. Ephine Rodrigues, Sr. Sajan Gaikwad and Sr. Hilda Braganza along with us we had a Salesian Cooperator, Mr. Valerio Sequeira.  

We are very thankful to our Provincial, Sr. Meena D’Silva, Sr. Joanna Lobo, the Provincial Councilor for granting us this opportunity to attend this workshop in favour of the Migrants.  Sincere thanks also to the Indian Social Institute Bangalore (ISI-B) community for organizing this program. We have learned a lot from the Recourse persons as well as from all the participants. We felt the family atmosphere and there were many occasions we could learn from each other.  Indeed the workshop was very useful and helpful. I am personally touched by everyone and is motivated to work for the inter-state migrants. This workshop will lead us from smaller beginnings of the Migrant Ministry to greater ventures which bring hope to our brothers and sisters in distress.                                                                                                  

Jesuits at ISI Bangalore                                                              

                 All the Jesuits at ISI Bangalore were very kind and thoughtful to provide the best for us. We have truly carried with us fond and rich memories and are grateful for the excellent organization of the Workshop on Capacity Building, for the wide awareness that we gained on the subject and for the perspective we have achieved about the opportunity we have for helping out the underprivileged labour Migrants. The Team of ISI Banglaore, has set a benchmark regarding the efficient organization of the programme.                                                                                                                                                    

            All the participants in this workshop have synergised the capacity to work together forming a strong network in their locality and nationwide to attend to the acute distress condition of the labour migrants. We have pledged ourselves to commit to this cause. We will move forward with the support of our community, the Salesian Cooperators, our Collaborators and like-minded people who will help us to bring a change in the life of our Migrant brothers and sisters.    

Following are the important topics covered up during the workshop by very efficient Resource persons. :

 Migrant Context setting: A Voice from Source States.

Inclusion of the Excluded – A voice from the Destination States.

 Labour Migrants & Constitutional Enactment

Challenges of Migrant Labourers in construction sector – A voice from the grassroots.

Rescue Operation of Migrant Bonded Labourers

 Migrant Children & Constitutional enactment on Criminal & Juvenile Justice.

Gender Violence and Sexual Exploitation of Migrants: A psychological perspective - Session 9: Health Access to Migrant Women: A Technological   Solution

 MAIN (Migrant Assistance and Information  Network)

“It is he, the Lord Jesus, whom we encounter in the faces of our marginalized and discarded brothers and sisters. In the faces of the migrants who are despised, rejected, put in a cage, they still go forward as they journey to life with the same hope for a better life and to greater human companionship,” Pope Francis