Understanding the needs of the people in Orissa

by Father Ajaya, Orissa, India.

Kandhamal is one of the poorest regions in the eastern Indian state of Orissa. 87% of the 650,000 people who live in Kandhamal live in poverty, a figure considerably higher than the state-wide average of 48%. Most of the population are rural farmers living a hand to mouth existence.

To compound the problem of poverty and years of government neglect large areas of Kandhamal witnessed communal violence in 2007 and 2008. Over 50,000 were displaced and 70 killed, with more than 50 unaccounted for, presumed dead. My colleague reported the forcible conversion of his father, a catechist: he had had an axe held to his neck by members of a mob, and was forced to renounce his Christian faith in favour of Hinduism. Subsequently, he was repeatedly escorted to a Hindu temple and forced to worship. This experience was not unique to him. The struggle in Kandhamal is not of Christian rights, but the right to choose one’s ideology.

Trócaire comes to this region with compassion, to help the abandoned and neglected communities reclaim their dignity and humanity. 90% of people live on agricultural and forest produce which means many go hungry when crops fail due to floods, droughts and cyclones. With Trócaire’s support we have formed village development committees so that these farmers have access to and control over their resources and do not fall into the hands of the greedy moneylenders and petty traders. They are made aware of the different entitlements they can access, as well as their constitutionals rights, and have been empowered so that they can advocate for their rights and entitlements from local government.

Female literacy rates in Kandhamal are one of the lowest in the state. To help the women and children we organise them as best we can into cooperative groups with saving schemes and teach them basic business skills to set up microenterprises so that they can earn extra income for their families.

Trócaire was one of the first international agencies to respond to the communal violence in Kandhamal and supported food rations and clothes for displaced families in the immediate aftermath of the violence. Trócaire is now supporting a housing programme for those who lost their homes as a result of the violence. Trócaire is there when the communities struggle to stand; not with sympathy, but with sure empathy. As a priest, it is worth having a partner like Trócaire who understands the needs of the people.

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The struggles of people living in rural poverty in El Salvador