St. Xavier’s Social Service Society

November 11, 2017
by Webmaster
11 min read

St. Xavier’s Social Service Society (SXSSS), a Jesuit Social Work Leaving at St. Xavier’s High School Loyola Hall , Ahmedabad , has since 1976 worked to improve the lot of the people in the slums of Ahmedabad city in the areas of education, health , environment, and community organization. Its efforts have also spread to the countryside and more widely. [2] It has taken a leading role among NGOs and has been signalized with awards for its efforts. [3] [4]

Mission statement

To facilitate the building of people’s organizations, enabling them to address their own problems and to make their own interventions to improve their economic, educational, health, and environmental situation; [5] to work toward communal and interreligious harmony; [6] to empower people at all levels through networking, documentation, and advocacy. [7]

History

St. Xavier’s Social Service Society (SXSSS) grew out of a 1960s outreach program at St. Xavier’s High School Loyola Hall, Ahmedabad. Over the years three areas have come to the fore: education, organizing people’s groups, and people’s action to improve the quality of their lives. Thus its motto: “To help people to help themselves.” [8]

In 1973, in the wake of the floods in the Sabarmati River, which was destroyed several times , Jesuit Fr. Erviti brought together a team of young architects who built Sankalitnagar on the outskirts of the city of Ahmedabad, a model of low- cost housing for people of various faiths. [9]

In 1976, Fr. Erviti, SJ, founded St. Xavier’s Social Service Society (SXSSS) beginning with rehabilitation work in Sankalitnagar. In 1983 it moved to Mahajan-no-Vando and the Nagori Kabrasthan slum settlements. It also obtained its own premises from St. Xavier School. In 1986 Erviti died but other Jesuits carried on the leadership. [10] The SXSSS Center for Orientation, Research, and Documentation (CORD) was founded in 1989. It documents and publicizes events that impact people’s lives and serves as a nodal point between NGOs and government offices, while coordinating action. It is located near the educational institutions of Ahmedabad and makes available its library, training hall, conference room, seminar hall, and discussion halls to further its purpose.

The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) is a program of the Indian Ministry of Human Resource Development. In 1990 SXSSS became the first accredited institute in this program in Gujarat , with English and Hindi as a medium of instruction. [11] SXSSS also responds to emergency situations – cyclones, floods, droughts, earthquakes, [12] and communal riots that have ravaged life in Gujarat. [13] [14] “In India in 1991, the social and religious tensions in the shantytowns of Ahmedabad were erupting into violence with St. Xavier’s Social Service Society, which launched a program of peace initiatives such as street plays, [2]Festivals, and community meetings, which are used to propaganda and diffuse confrontations. ” [15] By 1994 the Society was active in seven major sectors, and had increasing manpower and resources. [2] Since SXSSS is not run by Hindi or Muslims, it is seen as speaking to racial issues from a neutral perspective. Also, it has Sikhs, Jains, Hindi, and Muslims were ict staff. [2] in 1995 the organization was appointed the first recipient of the Anubhai Chimanlal Nagarikta Puraskar for its sustained contribution to the city of Ahmedabad.

In memory of the fiftieth anniversary of the death of Mahatma Gandhi , SXSSS lancé SHANTI (Peace) in Ahmedabad Where Gandhi founded His famous Sabarmati Ashram , and clashes Where entre les Hindus and Muslims-have PERSISTED. SHANTI strives to impact people’s attitudes at the grassroots level [16] and publishes reports on its efforts and experiences. [17] In December 2004, Jamat-e-Islam-e-Hind presented its Human Rights Award to St. Xavier’s Social Service Society for Unflinching Service Towards the Cause of Community and Human Rights in the Year 2002. [18] [19 ] ]

St. Xavier’s Social Service Society continues its work with Jesuit schools in Ahmedabad. In 2007 the Loyola Evening School (LES) was inaugurated as a joint venture of SXSSS and St. Xavier’s High School Loyola Hall. It offers children from the slums an opportunity for study and recreation. By the 2010s SXSSS was working in 30 city wards in the city of Ahmedabad, while continuing their organizational and advocacy work on a wider scale. [20]

Further education initiated by SXSSS in which it is active include: [21] INNovative Education (INNED), [22] [23] Child Labor Education Center, Promoting Higher Education (PHE), [24] Social Awareness and Action Program (SAAP) ), [25] [26] Child to Child Educational Program, [27] [28] Child Leadership Program. [29] Gramin Education Program, [30] Vocational Training Center, [31] Child Labor Educational Center, [32] Community Health Improvement Program, [33] Critical Illness Eradication Program, [34] [35]Organizing for Empowerment with Ahmedabad Shehri Jansangathan, [36] Organizing Women with Naari Swaman, [37] [38] Youth Empowering Society, [39] and Organizing Occupational Groups, [40] [41] SXSSS has been especially active in health issues and in maternal health. [2]

Every year St. Xavier’s Social Service Society celebrates “Lokotsav” in the memory of its founder Erviti, with a host of festive and informative programs that attract thousands of people. In 2014 Lokotsav built on the theme of International Women’s Day. [42]

To make people aware of their right to food and to have a forum for people to speak about corruption in government which impedes people from the benefits of various government schemes, SXSSS form: Anna Surakhsha Rights Platform. [43]

The Society’s main efforts in environmentalism have been stimulated by the solar cooker movement and by education for the preservation of forests. SXSSS has been recognized for its environmental efforts by one of the two Christian NGOs in India invited to the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. [5]

Perspective – Drashtikon is a quarterly magazine produced by SXSSS in Gujarati since 2009. [44] [45]

Sponsored workshops

St. Xavier ‘s Social Service Society brings people together in various ways, including workshops, in the course of its work. A few examples follow.

In 2000 the Society is a multi-cultural seminar in India, attended by over hundred activists and intellectuals. [46]

“Reconciliation in Post-Godhra Gujarat – A Journey Towards Peace” is the contribution of SXSSS to the People Building Peace book . The article focuses on the formation and development of the Jalampuri and Chali Peace Committee in which SXSSS was instrumental during the communal riots in Gujarat in 2002. [47] [48]

In 2007 a poster competition for children was held on the International Day of Peace, and in the booklet “Perspective of Children on Peace.”

In 2008 a workshop on peace was held, including area representatives. Then in 2009 a high level workshop on peace was held during which the booklet “Shanti ane Astitva” (Peace and Existence) was released. It narrates peace building efforts of various groups including SXSSS. [49]

CORD

At its CORD facility, SXSSS maintains a library of newspapers in English and Gujarati, 750 magazines, journals and newsletters, and a holding of more than 8000 books, 388 video cassettes, and 330 audio cassettes, along with slides, posters, and charts. It also serves as a publishing house for leaflets, booklets, magazines, books, and reports. [50]

Publications by CORD:

  • Shanti Ane Astitva (2009) narrates peace building efforts by the organization.
  • Perspective of Children on Peace (2008) contains children’s pictures depicting their perspective on peace.
  • Carnage Victims: Inmates Camp of Ahmedabad is a study of the status of the inmates of various rehabilitation camps formed after the carnage of 2002 in Gujarat.
  • Manavta or Safare contains prayers along with religious, inspirational, and patriotic songs on our common humanity, along with awareness songs and slogans.
  • Prasuti baad and Sambhal explains the care of a child.
  • Ahaha Poshaan gives information on food and nutrition.
  • Sakramak Rogo gives information on communicable diseases.
  • Raashikaran gives information on vaccination. [51]

Networking

SXSSS is accredited to the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED), the UN Inter-Governmental Negotiating Committee for Combating Desertification (INCD), and the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), and has an open invitation to a conference in which NGO s have a place. [5] It is also a Council Member of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and a member of the Global Health and Environment Library Network (GELNET) of the World Health Organization (WHO). [52] SXSSS also works closely with the Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC). [53][54] [55]

This Besides Many linkages through the Jesuit connection [56] [57] Including Jesuits in Social Action (JESA), the Social Action Sector of the Society of Jesus in South Asia. [58] The Gujarat Jesuit Province runs, besides SXSSS, the following social action centers: Ashadeep Human Development Center, Vallabh Vidyanagar; Navsarjan Trust, Surat; Prashant, Ahmedabad; [59] Rajpipla Social Service Society, Rajpipla; SANGATH, Modasa; SHAKTI – Legal Aid and Human Rights Center (LAHRC), Songadh; St. Xavier’s Non Formal Education Society (Behavioral Science Center [BSC]), Ahmedabad; [60] Nayay Darshan (Vadodara). [61] The multifaceted works of these centers are summarized on the SXSSS website. [62]

Further awards

SXSSS was honored by the Gujarat Minister of Health who, on behalf of the Government of Gujarat Health and Family Welfare, Gujarat Cancer and Research Institute, presented a certificate of honor for its contribution to health care and especially for its de-addiction campaign awareness programs, on May 31, 2007, World Anti Tobacco day. [63]

In 2008 the Communal Harmony Award was given to an SXSSS children’s home monitor (balmitras) Mrs. Niruben Marwadi by the NRI Coalition, for saving Muslim families during the Gujarat Carnage in 2002. [18] [19] [64]

Fr. Cedric Prakash , SJ, was director of SXSSS in 1998 when SHANTI was founded and recipient of the national and international awards. [65]

Bibliography

  • Anderson, Mary B. (1999). Do No Harm: How Aid Can Peace Support – or War . London: Lynne Rienner. ISBN  1-55587-833-4 . Pp. 122-129.
  • Bock, Joseph G (1995). The Harmony Project of the St. Xavier’s Social Service Society, Ahmedabad, Gujarat India. Cambridge MA: CDA Collaborative Learning Projects.
  • Gosling, David L. (2001). Religion and Ecology in India and Southeast Asia . London: Routledge. ISBN  978-0415240314 . pp. 139.186.
  • Ommen, TK (2007). Post-Godhra Gujarat . New Delhi: Pearson Longman. Pp. 157-166.
  • Tongeren, Paul van, et al (2005). “Peace Journey Towards” in People Building Peace II: Successful Stories of Civil Society . European Center for Conflict Prevention. ISBN  978-1-58826-358-2

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