Multi-pronged expansion for CCI India

CCI-India will launch a national study of internal migrant workers, a media training program and the creation of a Cardijn Media company, the National Team has announced following its meeting at Trichur, Kerala this week.

The 15-17 May meeting undertook an extensive review of the movement's activities in India and the steps taken since the National Council in November 2011.

CCI Secretary General MJ Ruben reports that the team adopted a multi-pronged approach to build CCI in India and to promote Cardijn, including the following:

1. A survey on the living and working conditions of internal migrant workers:

To be undertaken in 6 phases viz. (i) Finalisation of the objective and guidelines; (ii)data collection; (iii)analysis of data collected; (iv)consultation to discuss the outcome of the survey and to plan action with the field workers, experts, sociologists, organisations working on migrant issues and CCI leaders and animators; (v)publication of the survey and the last phase (vi) will be the action part (representation, lobbying and sensitization on the issue).

SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences) tool will be used for formulating guideliens and analysing the data collected.

Two fulltime workers from CCI will be appointed for two to three months to conduct the survey in 6 major cities in India (Chennai, Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad).

One hundred families/individuals will be contacted during the survey in each of the six cities. Besides the six cities, CCI members will also take up the survey in their own areas.

2. Media and Social Media Training

Two programs are to be held in Secunderabad from 7-11 July 2012.

3. Cardijn Media

It was also decided to register Cardijn Media as a company. Six people have already agreed to subscribe for 10,000 rupees of shares.

Under the proposed statutes, 50 per cent of any profits will be donated to CCI.

Among other decisions CCI - India formally decided to affiliate with the Cardijn Community International.

National Team member Jomon Cherussery was coopted as national treasurer following the resignation of Monica Mascarenhas.

It was also decided to open up for individual memberships with an undertaking by new members to endeavour to launch new CCI teams in their local areas within twelve months of their joining.

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CCI India studies nuclear power project

A CCI India Study Session at Tuticorin Tamil India highlighted the ecological problems facing local communities including a major nuclear power project in the region.

Nine  members of the Tuticorin CCI group took part together with Fr Servatius, Xavier Anthony, MJ Ruben and Glynis Joseph.

"Members split into 2 groups to discuss the 'Inquiry' on 'My Community," Ruben reports. "After the presentation of the group reports, the plenary discussed the common realities and the causes for the situation."

"The recent people's movement against the 'Nuclear Power Project' was analysed in depth," he continued.

"Fr Servatius who was also involved in the struggle explained as to why the people have intensified their agitation now after 10 years of the starting of construction of the plant. Though initially people agitated, it is only after the experiences of tsnami particularly in Japan and through the advancement of information technology, the people are more informed. The fisherfolk and the people around fear a grave threat to their livelihood if the plan is commissioned.

"Another major threat to the people of Tuticorin is the ecological threat due to Sterlite Industries," Ruben added. "In the recent years, people experience unbearable heat and no rain at all in Tuticorin even if the surrounding towns and villages get rain. It was felt that a people's movement should be initiated to struggle against this environmental degradatin due to this chemical industries."

Bishop Yvon Ambroise spoke about his experiences in the YCS and YCW as an animator. He said most of the innovative measures he is initiating in the diocese is because of the formation he received from the movement. He gives more importance to participation of the laity in all affairs of the diocese.

Bishop Ambroise  is part of the delegation representing the people's movement agaist the Koodankulam Nuclear Power Project. The delegation comprising the state ministers and government officials and people's representatives met Indian Prime Minister on 7 October to press to decommission the plant.

Though Bishop Ambroise had to meet the Tamil Nadu Government on the morning of 6 October, he took time to be with the group for more than an hour.

Sociologist Prof. X. D. Selvaraj, who is also part of the people's movement spent a few minutes extending his greetings especially to the National CCI leaders.

During the evaluation, the participants felt happy about the training and decided that the CCI group will meet regularly. They will also send their representatives to the CCI India General Assembly next month, Ruben reported.

MORE PHOTOS

https://picasaweb.google.com/103324114816508872702/CCITuticorinTrgOct5#

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CCI India celebrates New Pentecost

CCI India members gathered at Sacred Heart, Poonamallee near Chennai to celebrate New Pentecost with a special Mass celebrated by Father Thomas Joseph, 92, a worker chaplain since 1950.

"Thomas Joseph stressed on the message of 'peace' in his homily. He said peace cannot be achieved without justice and so our struggle for justice is struggle for peace," CCI Convenor M.J. Ruben reports.

"At the sharing session afte the mass, the CCI members and contacts shared how they are building peace throught their involvement in various fields.

"Lazar Fernando had to give up his good prospects in the Gulf and returned to India to take care of his spastic child. He underwent training and took up a job in a school for spastic children. When the school closed down, the parents of the special children requested Lazar to start a school for their wards. In the meantime, Lazar's son died at the age of 14. Lazar realised the pitiable state of the children as well as their parents who were mostly poor fisherfolk. He collected some donations from traders and friends besides loans from his wife's workplace and rented out a house and started a school for special children. Now, the school 'Mercy Niketan' has 35 children.

"After joining CCI Lazar is able to share his work and get more contacts and know how to run the school. Susairaj and Ruben are in the Trust and they are planning to develop the school; the parents are now pressing Lazar to open a hostel like facility for children above 18 yrs since it is very hard for the poor parents to look after them. The school gets a small percentage of the teacher's salary from the state social welfare department.

"Gnanaraj who is a railway employee offered to help out Lazar to find local donors through the network at his work place.

"Sebastian, a worker leader with years of trade union experience hinted that there may be a possibility of getting a house for Lazar's Trust through one of his contacts who wants to help some genuine organisation. He said he cannot promise now but hopes to convince the donor after seeing Mercy Niketan's work.

"Susairaj shared how Pentecost is a special day in his life as a motivation for his dedication to work among children and women.

"Heston George felt that people should be motivated to help development organisations by offering their skills free of charges. He said that many such base organisations do not know how to present their activities or to seek funds.

"The group also analysed the social commitment of the Church; many felt that the parish structure keeps the lay people out of social commitment. The young people do not involve actively since they do not find a meaningful role.

"Rupert Rathnaraj initiated a lively discussion on how 'consumerism' is promoted by globalization. An image is created that people have lot of money to buy; acutally people are made to buy not from their surplus but because it gives an identity.

"Fr. Thomas Joseph spoke about the child workers and social commitment of the Church.

"Ms Glynis Joseph, Coordinator of Chennai CCI coordinated the discussions and said that more such interactions will be organised. She also presented the CCI message on New Pentecost 2011.

"M. J. Ruben, International Convenor gave an overall picture of CCI and its evolution. He traced the life of Cardijn and how his method see judge act has been acknowledged as a tool of social analysis around the world; he also mentioned that this year is the 50th anniversary of see judge act being accepted as part of social teaching of the Church.

"Ruben also shared with the group the efforts of YCW and Sr. Jeanne Devos and others from the National Domestic Workers Movement who are lobbying in Geneva at the ILC to get the convention on dometic workers passed without any hiccup.

"A brief information about the forthcoming CCI 10th anniversary International Forum and General Assembly in Bangkok was also shared before conclusion.

"While concluding Ms Glynis Joseph thanked Fr. Thomas Joseph and others for making the New Pentecost event a memorable one despite the long distance each one had to travel."

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CCI India completes Training of Trainers

CCI India this week successfully completed the second part of its Training of Trainers program in Madurai, Tamil Madu.

Twelve trainers took part in the event which featured presenters on Hinduism, Islam and Atheism as well as documents on Sikhism, Buddhism and Jainism.

A draft training module on See Judge Act is nearly ready for publication following a review at the gathering.

Cardijn Community International will jointly publish the module with CCI India with 1000 copies to be printed.

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