NARIGUTTE PROJECT: OUR LADY OF THE VISITATION PROVINCE, BANGALORE
Narigutte “Fox Hill” project is on the go! The Sisters of Notre Dame of the Visitation Province, Bangalore, India has adopted the village of Narigutte (literal translation is Fox Hill) as a special project to bring the JPIC alive in the lives of several people. The decision was taken at the Province Assembly of December 2017. It took several meetings, interviews; surveys, on the spot visits by the Sisters, teachers, and students to identify the most pressing needs of the village of 50 Catholic families who are all day laborers and migrant workers. The most pressing needs identified are sanitation, electrification and education. As a part of the sanitation project it was decided to build several toilet facilities for the needy families and to build a house for a widow with two children of whom one is a special child. On 7th June 2020 the place was blessed by the Parish Priest Fr. A. Thomas of Mariyapura in the presence of Sisters Mary Chetana, our Provincial, Mary Divya, the Province treasurer,Mary Alpana, our JPIC co-ordinator, and other Sisters from the neighbouring communities Mary Nainafrom Koramangala, Mary Jaisheelafrom Somanahalli, the village leaders and the villagers themselves. This village is part of Mariyapura Parish which is under the jurisdiction of SomanahalliVillage Block. Each unit of the Province will contribute the “widow’s mite” to turn this province goal into a reality. Work is in progress now in spite of the uncertainties of COVID – 19 pandemic and the havoc and misery caused by it to the poor and marginalized people. The villagers themselves are the labour force.
The children will be enrolled in the nearby schools to get a better education that will help them to transform their lives and the society around them.
The process of electrification will take place only after some more meetings and negotiations with the Karnataka Electricity Power Supply Company. In the meantime we solicit the help of all our friends and benefactors to help in bringing about Justice, Peace and Integrity of Creation into the lives of our marginalized and less privileged brothers and sisters.
ALL FOR THE HEARTH AND HEALTH -FROM OUR HEARTS
‘Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones.’-Shannon Alder
Under the scope of JPIC,‘Project Sensitization’, on October 4, 2020, Sisters of Notre Dame, Bangalore, dedicated a newly constructed house at Lourde Nagar, Narigutte. Somanahalli village.The house was donated to a widow who had a physically and mentally challenged child.
Rev. Fr. A Thomas,Parish Priest,Mount Carmel Church, Thattaguppe, blessed the house and Sr. Chetana SND, (Provincial Superior, Visitation Province) inaugurated the house.
The dynamic social programme began at 3 pm with the invocation followed by the Inaugural address by Fr. A Thomas, Thattaguppe,Sr.Chetana SND and Mr.Pavan Kumar, Taluk Panchayat member, Somanahalli.The sisters of Notre Dame felicitated Rev. Fr. A Thomas,the project coordinator, contractor and construction workers with moments shawls and gifts. On behalf of the villagers Mr. Bal Raj honoured the sisters. The villagers expressed their gratitude by offering a rose flower.
Along with the brand new constructed house totally 15 newly constructed toilets were dedicated to the villagers on this day.The inauguration of the toilets itself was done adopting an innovative style which was as follows:
A ribbon cutting ceremony was done and one of the bathroom doors was opened to examine and exhibit its interiors. Additionally, a tree was planted in front of the toilets and essential waste baskets and hand wash provided in front of the toilet.
The beneficiaries of this will be the grateful 120 families in this location,98% of whom are Catholics and church goers.
‘Truly, I say to you,as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me’(Mathew 25:40)
