Sisters, brothers & a good Samaritan
THE future of several homes run by the Missionaries of Charity in Odisha was suddenly in question after the organisation’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration lapsed on December 25, 2021. Since a valid FCRA registration is mandatory for any non-governmental organisation (NGO) to receive foreign funds or donations, those in charge of these homes—most of which are located in interior areas of the State—were clueless about the course of action to take when they would run short of funds.
Fortunately, an official announcement from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on December 30 brought cheer to the inmates of 19 homes being run by the Missionaries of Charity and affiliated institutions in 11 districts.
The Chief Minister directed the District Collectors concerned to be in regular touch with these homes and ensure that none of their inmates suffered, especially from food security or health-related distress. Naveen Patnaik said: “Wherever needed, funds from the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund (CMRF) can be utilised for this purpose.”
The District Collectors asked the homes to furnish their requirements following the Chief Minister’s directive, and on January 4, Naveen Patnaik sanctioned a sum of Rs.78.76 lakh from the CMRF for 13 homes run by the sisters of the Missionaries of Charity across eight districts. An official release said that more than “900 inmates in various leprosiums and orphanages” would benefit from this decision. A senior government official told Frontline that the State government will review the situation in mid-march to assess the need for providing further financial assistance to these homes.
MISSIONARIES OF CHARITY WORK
The Missionaries of Charity Brothers, co-founded by Mother Teresa in 1963, runs six homes at different places in the State.
Some 89 sisters trained in different capacities take care of more than 900 inmates while the brothers look after nearly 250 inmates in homes spread across Mayurbhanj, Sundargarh, Sambalpur, Balasore, Jajpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Koraput, Ganjam, Puri and Khordha districts.
The biggest home run by the sisters, for leprosyaffected, mentally ill and physically challenged women, is located at Janla on the outskirts of the capital, Bhubaneswar. It has 320 inmates, of whom 130 are mentally challenged.
The brothers run three leprosy homes in Rourkela in Sundargarh district, Berhampur in Ganjam district and Baripada in Mayurbhanj district. The number of inmates in all the homes combined keeps fluctuating from time to time. While some who recover return to their families, those who do not recover live there until their end.
There are three homes for destitute and neglected children at Koraput, Balasore and Rourkela. All the other homes serve elderly destitute and physically and mentally challenged persons, according to a sister in Bhubaneswar.