Babelfish
Translation Babelfish
Translation
Amidst such surroundings of colourful folk dances and lilting music, gushing streams and waterfalls, tall majestic mountains, calm clean lakes and lush green valleys, live the lively jovial hospitable people. It is a land where tea growing is an industry handicrafts an occupation and martial arts the favourite activity.
The North East, a haven for tourists, is dotted with a number of lovely tourist spots where nature unveils herself in all her glory. For those who yearn for adventure and excitement there is mystique and romance in exploring wildlife in its true form.
Meghalaya [literal meaning ‘the abode of clouds’] became a separate state in 1972. The name describes the climate phenomenon that brings torrential rainfall to its mountainous terrain. It is bounded on the north and east by Assam, and on the south and west by Bangladesh. Three ancient tribes inhabit this state – the Khasi, the Jaintia and the Garo. Principal languages are Khasi, Garo and English.
Meghalaya is a region of great scenic beauty, a panorama of lush undulating hills, heather-covered slopes, meandering rivers and waterfalls, sparkling mountain streams, emerald-green lakes, gorges and precipitous ravines provide breathtaking views to the numerous tourists who flock to this "Scotland of the East’.
All but one of our convents are situated in the state of Meghalaya; our convent in Haflong is in the neighbouring state of Assam.
Kiran Minj signs her Final Vows on the altar
Jaiaw, Shillong - 1943
Provincial House and St Joseph’s Community; Higher Secondary School [English medium], 2 Primary Schools [1 Khasi medium and the other English medium], Postulants and Aspirants.
As well as teaching in the schools, some Sisters work in the parish, teaching catechism and preparing children for the Sacraments, visiting the hospital, the sick and families.
Photo: RNDM postulants of 2004 with [front right] Sisters Leena Laloo, their Formator, and with [centre back] Maureen McBride, Congregational Leader, and Liz Hartigan , General Councillor.
Laitumkhrah –1915
St Mary’s Convent; Teachers’ College – University Level; Orphanage; Higher Secondary School [English medium]; Primary School [Khasi medium]; Montessori Nursery School; WISE
Situated in Shillong, this is the longest established and best known of our missions in Meghalaya. The record of educational achievements has been publicly recognised on a number of occasions and past pupils of the Teachers’ College are sought after.
St Mary’s Convent opens its doors to orphan girls and destitute children of the area. Some Sisters are involved in youth ministry and pastoral animation
WISE [Women for Integrated Sustainable Empowerment] is a new social service centre that has been established to promote the role of women and their education for self-sufficiency.
Below left: A family at home in
Laitryngew; members of a Self-Help Group.
Below right: A Laitryngew Self-Help
Group meeting to study principles of saving.
Cherrapunjee –1938
St John Bosco Convent; Orphanage, Secondary School [English medium], Primary School [Khasi medium]
56 km south of Shillong, Cherrapunjee is situated in one of the rainiest places in the world. The Sisters started to replace the original orphanage building in 1997 and completed the building in 2001 although the playground is not yet done. The Sisters also tour the interior villages of the Parish and make family visits.
NATIONAL AWARD FOR CHILD WELFARE
(Newsarticle)
India has the second largest child population in the world and this segment of the population is our most important human resource. The future of our nation depends upon the kind of opportunities we create and provide to our children. Government of India has initiated several measures for proper development of this important resource.
India has a rich heritage of humanitarianism. Thousands of voluntary organizations and individuals are contributing to the national effort to lay the foundation of a healthier, more prosperous and productive generation of future Indians. In order to further strengthen voluntary action in our country, which is one of the most powerful instruments of social transformation, it is essential to create awareness amongst the millions of people of our villages.
To encourage the voluntary sector, the Government of India, in 1979, started a scheme of giving national awards to deserving institutions and individuals for their outstanding performance in the field of child development and welfare. The scheme was started, with the view to give recognition to such voluntary action. The award carries a cash prize of rupees two lakhs and a citation for each institution and rupees fifty thousands and a citation for each individual.
On 27th of May 1999, this National Award was awarded to St. Mary's Convent - Shillong in North East V. Province - India in recognition of dedicated and commendable services rendered by the Sisters at St. Mary's in the field of education and welfare of orphan children for the past 86 years.
Our heartiest congratulations to our sisters for their commitment to voiceless children, which earns for them the National Award for Child Welfare for the year 1998.
 St. John Bosco's Orphanage |
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RNDM MISSION SOLIDARITY PROJECT 2003
Playground construction in Cherrapunjee
Now that the hostel has been rebuilt – a project which took several years – the area between the hostel and the school needs redeveloping as a playground for the children. Presently the school caters for 1200 students – primary and secondary - and because the school grounds are still so rough the conditions for play and sport are very restrictive.
There are about 80 students in the hostel, from 15 villages. The families are poor, and some of the children have just one parent or are orphaned. Agency funding provides them with books and uniform; but the families can not afford any cash contributions to upgrade the playground. The hostel students would benefit most from a new playground.
RNDM hopes to help redevelop the playground in 2003. 
Past pupils of our schools are invited to make a donation to this project. Give your donation to any Sister of Our Lady of the Missions, or email
fundraiser@rndmgen.org
Umsning – 1971
St Michael’s Convent; Higher Secondary School and Hostel, Primary Parish School
This convent is to the north of Shillong. The hostel caters for the poor tribal girls,
giving them the
opportunity to continue their basic education.
Marbisu – 1979
U Krist Jingshai Convent; Primary Parish School and Higher Secondary School
Marbisu is south west of Shillong. The Sisters here work in the primary and secondary parish schools. They also run a dispensary and look after the Training Centre for the youth of surrounding villages and the hostels for women and girls. Annually they cater for the fortnight-long catechist seminar.Purakasia - 1985 Photo: Tribal children from the NE enjoy dressing up for a concert
St Peter’s Convent; Hostel, Primary and English Medium Parish School
This is a poor parish in the West Garo Hills about 300 km from Shillong. This hostel provides for further education for tribal girls. There is also a dispensary for the poor people of the district, and the Sisters tour the villages.
Tluh – 1999Euphrasie’s Convent; Parish Primary and High Schools
Children in Tluh ready for their lesson
RNDM Solidarity Project 2003INDIA NORTH EAST: Rebuilding primary classrooms at Tluh, Jaintia Hills District.
Background
Euphrasie's Convent, Tluh was founded only in 1999 and is our youngest mission in NE India. Tluh is located in the remote east of the Jaintia District, about 150 km east of Shillong, the capital of the State of Meghalaya.
Strictly speaking Tluh is not the first RNDM mission in the district. As early as 1922, the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions had run a domestic science or home science school and maintained a semi-orphanage nearby in Raliang-Mawkyndeng. For years and years girls from the Jaintia Hills have been coming to St Mary's Convent, Shillong to complete their studies. St Mary's was like Cambridge or Oxford for most of the villages of the State of Meghalaya. To be accepted at St Mary's was therefore a great privilege. That mission brought many Khasi/Pnar vocations to the Congregation, including Sister M John Bosco Shadap RIP, former member of our Congregational Leadership. Memories are still deep in the hearts of the Raliang-Mawkyndeng people by whom the RNDMs are known as 'Ki Sister Jong Ngi' - our very own Sisters.
The Tluh mission is surrounded by non-Christian and other Christian denominations which have deeper roots in the Jaintia hill. The Catholic Church arrived in this area about 50 years later. The people are known as Pnars; their dialect too is totally different from the Khasi language which is the official and literary language of the State.
district, until the Tluh people accepted the idea of having a convent in their village, run by the RNDMs who would assist in the existing primary school and High School and open a dispensary.
Tluh primary school in 2000
When the three Sisters arrived in 1999 they were living in make-shift quarters in one section of the school, with no water and no toilet facilities. RNDMs helped to build a permanent residence for the Sisters; this building enables them to also take a few boarders and to have their dispensary.
The Tluh people are hard working; most of them work in the coal mines with very low wages. They cooperate very well with the Sisters in their work. The presence of the Sisters has successfully brought back the Catholic people of Tluh to the practice of their faith.
Tragedy strikes
On 20 May 2002, at two o’clock in the afternoon, a cyclone hit the parish primary school. The roof and one wall collapsed and two teachers and three children were caught inside. Sister Helen Pdang and one of the lay teachers died of their injuries on the way to hospital. The children survived although one was seriously injured. Fortunately classes were over for the day and most of the children had left the property.
The Solidarity Project 2003At present classes for the primary children are being held on a part-time basis in the secondary school before the secondary classes begin each day. Thus the primary children have very reduced hours and their education will suffer until their 6 classrooms and toilet facilities can be rebuilt.
The cost of the project is expected to be US$25,550 and the local contribution should be about US$4,270. RNDM Solidarity will be contributing US$5,000. Donations for RNDM mission projects can be handed to any Sister of Our Lady of the Missions, or contact by email fundraiser@rndmgen.orgHaflong –1915
St Agnes’ Convent; Secondary School [English medium], Primary School
This convent is in Assam, north of Meghalaya. The Sisters here also visit the families and run Adult Education programmes during weekends.
Report from North East India – Towards an NGO in Shillong, Meghalaya <from Sister Judith Shadap>
Photo – Working with a Self Help Group
For about 8 years Sister Judith has been employed by the
Salesian initiative in Meghalaya, BOSCO REACH-OUT, an NGO (non-government organisation)
with a philosphy of ‘development through empowerment of the people’. Employees
of BOSCO help the poor to organise themselves into Self-Help Groups of 10 people dedicated
to improving the socio-economic conditions of the members. They facilitate the non-formal
education and skills development of the members, mentor the leaders and help to monitor
the evaluation of the group so that in due course, probably after 12 – 15 months,
revolving credit procedures can be set up to empower the members for further development.
This is a very exciting development in social service work in the Church, and it is receiving considerable technical and financial support from the major funding agencies like MISEREOR and Caritas.
Photo –right : Informal education in gender sensitivity
Sister Judith is presently setting up our own RNDM Social Service Centre – WISE (Women for Integrated Sustainable Empowerment) – as an NGO in Shillong. She is asking for our prayers for the success of this RNDM initiative.
WISE – [Women for Integrated Sustainable Empowerment]
The
Sister Judith guides skills development for the basketmaking group.
Update Report 2002 from Laitumkrah, near Shillong, India North East <from Sister Judith Shadap>
Photo:
WISE Self-Help group taking a 2-day
course
WISE (Women for Integrated Sustainable Empowerment) – is an RNDM NGO, established in July 2000 in Shillong, Meghalaya.
Sister Judith, after five years of
experience with the Salesian Fathers in their Bosco Reach Out NGO, has established a
Social Service Centre that targets destitute women, girl dropouts, domestic workers and
women in crisis. They come to the Centre for vocational training in fast food preparation,
food processing,
Left: Girls from the orphanage training
in handcrafts
basket-making, dry flowers making, tailoring and handcrafts of all sorts. Those who have
completed the training from the Centre are encouraged to make use of the skills they have
acquired and to take up income generating activities such as a small shop, fast food
sales, or livestock projects. They are encouraged to join Self-Help Groups through which
they learn to mobilize their own small savings and have access to micro credit. Once they
are encouraged by and convinced of the advantages of this programme, they themselves
become agents of change in their society and bring in others; so the progress goes on.
To establish an income generating activity, a women needs about 100 – 200 US dollars of capital. They are encouraged to repay that sum by installments within one year, so that it can be available for the next IGA. In general they have been regular in making their repayments, but as the scheme grows so the need for a larger capital fund increases.
Could you make a direct donation to the WISE capital fund?
Or
would you like to sponsor one or more women on whom you can receive personal reports?
Email
Sister Judith : s_shadap@hotmail.com.
The
WISE centre has also adopted a
village – Laitryngew – in which their trainers undertake a variety of social
programmes: awareness building, dissemination of information, capacity building,
leadership training, gender sensitivity, health care, legal literacy on women’s
rights etc. The aim is to bring about attitudinal change and sustainable development so
that the people can live with dignity.
Left: Sister Judith and the Social
Welfare Department chairperson listening to the elderly women of Laitryngew.
For further news on Apostolic Involvement see the following Solidarity Newsletters: WISE, Shillong 00/2, New mission in Tluh 01/1, WISE for women of Laitumkrah, Shillong 02/1 and 05/1, Tragedy in Tluh 02/2, Children of Cherrapunjee 03/1
