Not only food and shelter but also relief and a source of livelihood is being provided to migrant workers and labourers for free at St Stanislaus School, Bandra. Following the recent incident of migrant workers gathering at Bandra station wanting to return to their homes, a shelter cum relief camp which is providing a source of livelihood has been set up at the school campus.
Due to the nationwide lockdown amidst the coronavirus pandemic, migrant workers, labourers and daily wagers were caught at loggerheads with nowhere to go. These workers are not having any source of income as their projects are halted while they cannot return to their native villages or states because transportation is shut.
In order to provide a helping hand during such a crisis, Cardinal Gracias approached St. Peter’s Church and St. Stanislaus School Bandra to set up a shelter relief camp for these migrants workers. In consultation with professor Brinelle D’Souza of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Anil Hebbar of Helping Hands Charitable Trust, with the help of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) officers of H/West ward, a “Migrant Workers’ Relief Camp”, potentially for 125, 100 men and 25 women, has been set up since April 19, 2020, till the end of the lockdown period.
Currently, over 20 to 30 migrant workers are being provided accommodation, bathing and toilet facilities, food, water, security and medical checkups every day for free. Fr Frazer Mascarenhas, manager of St Stanislaus School, explained, “We are using the vacant hall space of our school for this camp. We are providing beds, bedsheets and mattresses. Our school canteen staff have volunteered to cook daily meals for these migrant workers. While the BMC officers are sanitising the premises and conducting regular health checkups.”
Interestingly, this shelter relief camp has turned into a small cottage industry as migrant workers are making masks and face shields and providing it to the frontline workers. Fr Felix D’Souza, who is the school supervisor managing this project, said, “We conducted some volunteer recreational activities as the workers were bored sitting inside the camp for the entire day. So then, we started making masks and face shields and now it is like a small cottage industry. We are making almost 50 to 500 masks and shields every day. The money earned by each worker through this project will be given to them when they leave. Apart from this, we are having story sharing sessions, cooking together, watching movies in the night and living as a family. Along with relief, this camp is providing a source of livelihood to these workers.”
Vaqar Javeed Hafiz, the executive engineer of BMC H/West Bandra ward, said, “It is good to see these migrant workers contributing for the cause. Nobody was ready to provide shelter to these workers initially as they were part of the huge gathering at Bandra station. But now, these same workers are contributing and helping in the battle against the spread of COVID-19.” Asif Zakaria, Municipal Corporator, said, “These migrant workers have nowhere to go. Some of them are in need of shelter while, others need food every day as they have lost their daily source of income. We are all trying our best to help each other in any way possible during this crucial time of crisis.”
“There is space for more,” claimed Fr Frazer Mascarenhas as he stated that the camp has vacant rooms and can accommodate more migrant workers, labourers and those in need. Also, anybody can volunteer as short term training in skills, conscientisation on rights and even some productive occupation are being provided in these camps.
Donation to this Migrants’ Camp project is welcome at: St. Peter’s Church, Central Bank of India, Turner Road, Bandra, A/C no.: 3805703587 IFSC code: CBIN0282259 Please send a message to stpetersparishoffice@gmail.com with your NEFT receipt and PAN card number (required).
