CARITAS GOA
Caritas Goa leaps into the Millennium - Gilbert D'Mello
(Mirror/O'Herald)


THE Archdiocese of Goa and Daman rendered service to the people in Christian social formation and in charitable and welfare works through Caritas Portuguesa till 1961. The historic events in December, 1961 resulted in the departure of the Portuguese. Always sensitive to the needs of God’s children and committed to their holistic welfare, the then Archbishop-Patriarch, Don Jose Vieira Alvenaz immediately established Caritas Goa and constituted a Commission on January 3, 1962 with three members.
The Commission office was housed in the Paco Patriarcal, Panjim in the area now occupied by Seccao das Confrarias. Fr. Gilberto was the Secretary of the Commission.
The welfare work and education of children continued with little interruption, despite the prevailing circumstances. The Commission office, Saligao Seminary and Lar dos Estudantes were the storage and distribution Centres for food and other material sent by the Catholic Relief Services. Fr. Joao Pedro Fernandes, although not a member of the Commission, was very much involved in the work. When Archbishop-Patriarch Alvernaz left Goa in March 1962, Mons. Francisco Xavier da Piedade Rebello was put in-charge of the Archdiocese. Mons. Raul Gonsalves undertook the responsibility with the other members, of locating and rendering all possible assistance. The Papal Nuncio, Cardinal Knox visited

Goa often. Following the sudden demise of Fr. Gilberto Ribeiro on July, 19, 1969, Fr. Cirilo Pascoal Pereira S. F. X. was appointed Director of Caritas Goa vide Portaria. Fr. Pereira expanded the activities of the Centre to meet the growing needs of the disabled and the poor. The Relief work was expanded to giving of subsidies for animal husbandry projects.

Caritas Goa was registered as a Society under Societies Registration Act 1860 on November 6, 1971 and was established on November 18, 1971.
Msgr. Alberto C.S.P.L. Luis was appointed Director to replace Fr. C. Pereira, sfx. Beginning his association as a member of the newly established Caritas Goa in January 1962 and serving till 1964, Msgr. Luis returned to it, at its helm after a gap of 15 years. As he took charge of the institution, he dedicated his time and energy to the upliftment of the disadvantaged, neglected and oppressed.

The Major Projects of Caritas Goa are:
Obra de Proteccao a Mulher (OPM) (Service for Protection of Women) was established in 1942. Originally, the home was at Birondem, Valpoi. Unwed mothers were sheltered there till delivery. Orphan and abandoned babies, destitute and ill-treated women were also housed there. It was raised to the status of a full-fledged institution in April 1947 and entrusted to the Congregation of Franciscan Hospitaller Sisters in Goa. It was maintained through contributions of the public. The house at Birondem being small, and the wife of the then Governor taking keen interest, the Home was shifted to Altinho, Panjim. Provedoria de Assistencia Publica began giving substantial donation since 1952. Some where in 1962 the Provedoria lent a house in Merces and until 1988 OPM functioned there. At this stage the house at Merces was returned to the Provedoria and the institution was shifted to Nachinola, Bardez in a house donated by the Soares family of Porvorim. Presently the day to day running of OPM is entrusted to the Congregation of Sisters Adorers and houses 11 unwed mothers and 19 babies. Caritas Goa funds the project.

Guardianship of Relinquished Babies/Children: Caritas Goa is recognised by the Government of India as an agency for placing of babies/children in guardianship of both Indian and foreign guardians (Parents), under the prevailing Acts. (1890, 1956). Relinquished babies/children are given in guardianship following the procedures laid down. A lawyer, a social worker and staff of Caritas Goa office help in the process on behalf of Caritas Goa. Elaborate ‘Home Study’ and ‘Child Study’ are conducted by the social workers to ensure that the child will fit comfortably in the new home. This Project brings happiness both to the babies/children and the concerned adults, besides ensuring a safe and fruitful future for each baby/child.

Catholic Relief Services: 1. Nutrition Scheme: In the course of years, small units were established in over 100 institutions, like orphanages and homes for the aged run by religious men and women and some schools. Food in the form of bulgur wheat, soyabean flour, oil, milk powder were distributed. Biscuits and cheese were also distributed in the earlier years. At the sub-centres and schools, there was a scheme for cooking raw food and feeding the children.

2. Mother and Child Care Scheme: Supplementary Food was distributed at 26 Centres for deserving pregnant women and children upto the age of five years. The social worker of Caritas Goa visited these Centres once a month, to monitor the health of the children like keeping records of weight, etc., to give specific health education to the mothers. They also organised health camps. Presently these schemes have been discontinued but there is likelihood of it being revived in the near future

Prosthetic, Orthotic and Physiotherapy Centre: There was a great need of Mobility Equipments for the handicapped. Hence Caritas Goa established a centre to manufacture and provide artificial limbs and other aids like Crutches, Callipers etc. with aid from World Rehabilitation Fund, USA on October 28, 1978. The Centre was situated at the Salao Cristo Rei" (Christ the King Centre) in the property of Mitra de Sta. Ines. This Centre met the growing needs of all physically disabled not only in Goa
but the neighbouring areas and still continues to do so. The Centre was shifted to Old Goa in 1993. The Physiotherapy Unit, opened on March 5, 1982 renders service to persons orthopaedically disabled/affected and post operative therapy. It has the necessary equipments for therapy and also consulting doctors.

Centre for the Handicapped, Kadamba Plateau, Old Goa: Fr. Cirilo Pereira was instrumental in establishing the Centre for the Handicapped with a Training-cum Production Unit. The foundation stone was laid in 1975. It was a memorial of the 13th Exposition of the Relics of St. Francis Xavier. (1974-75). The Centre was formally inaugurated in 1976 and began functioning with 15 inmates (boys and girls), between the ages of 12 and 35 years, admitted irrespective of caste and creed. The day to day running of the Centre was entrusted to the Congregation of the Franciscan Sisters of Christ the King and later to the Diocesan Congregation of Sisters of Holy Family of Nazareth, Sancoale. In the beginning, tailoring & embroidery, fibre work, animal husbandry (dairy, poultry, piggery), candle making were started, besides carpentry and welding were undertaken on a small scale. Printing technology, welding and metal works (grills, stands, etc.), baking & confectionery units were introduced in 1978. Later chalk making was introduced. All the above were registered with the concerned government’s authorities in March 1983. The number of inmates increased and the Training and Production Programme was very successful.

St. Xavier’s Academy: To meet the needs of disabled children, classes for hearing impaired, orthopaedically handicapped, mentally retarded and learning disabled children commencing with the pre-primary in June 1984, under the Management of the Diocesan Society of Education. The special school for the above groups was inaugurated by the Archbishop-Patriarch in 1986. Recognition for the primary school was obtained from the govt. for the academic year 1988-89 and progressively for standards upto VIII each year. The last one has also been recognised by the Goa High & Higher Secondary Education Board, besides the Directorate of Education. The classrooms are equipped with necessary installations. Some teachers are trained and the other untrained ones get in service-training as a temporary measure. They are then requested to do the special training at any recognised institute in India. The students of the Academy are given opportunities to compete with other children like them and with normal children in Inter Special Sports and those organised by other agencies as well as in Art. They have won many trophies and certificates, proving that they are given opportunities for their integral development. They have amazed audiences even in Delhi with their cultural performances, specially dancing.

National Open School: Once the students successfully completed Std. VIII, it was seen that they would find it difficult to follow the formal syllabus upto Std. X. Yet the Centre wanted that these disabled children, capable of higher studies should get the opportunity. Hence in 1995 the Academy was registered under the National Open School, New Delhi for Std. X in two Sections: (A) Academic (B) Vocational.

Caritas Goa was given a National Award in Public recognition of the valuable services to the community rendered in the field of Child Welfare on March, 18, 1988 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Department of Women and Child Development, New Delhi.
Caritas Complex: The old Christ the King Hall at St. Inez, in the property of the Archdiocese, was demolished and eight modern three storied building was constructed and inaugurated on September, 25, 1993. The projects undertaken are: Physiotherapy and Orthotic Centre was allotted sufficient space on the ground floor to continue the work begun in 1978, with additional modernized equipment.

Caritas Goa Holiday Home: This project aims at generating employment, funds (self-reliance) for the Caritas Staff and at providing clean and safe accommodation to tourists at reasonable rates. Handicapped youth are employed for jobs within their capabilities in the Maintenance Department and other qualified/competent unemployed persons are taken in the Managerial, Administrative, House-keeping and Security Departments. The Conference Hall on the topmost floor is a good facility for seminars, workshops, meetings, etc. The same facility is also provided on the terrace (rooftop).

Training-cum-Production Centre for the Handicapped: It is an ambitious project for the benefit of handicapped youth specially to equip them with skills for self employment. The project is located in the Ancestral Mansion of the Santana de Ribeiro family, who donated the house for the cause. Ms. Esther da Santana Ribeiro funded the necessary repairs and renovation to suit the needs of the project. The same are near completion and project is expected to be launched in the Academic Year 2002-2003.

Other Projects undertaken by Caritas Goa are: Vocational Training Centre For Women — In July 1931, the Director of Caritas Goa was given charge of the Archdiocesan House in Panjim, named Institute de Nossa Senhora de Piedade. A room was allotted for exhibition and sale of various articles prepared by the inmates of the Centre for the Handicapped, Old Goa. The articles were hand-embroidered bed and table linen, jute and banana fibre bags, center pieces, floor mats, bamboo baskets and lamp shades, etc.

Housing Colony for the Homeless in Baida, Chinchinim: This is a project funded by Foundation Enfants Espoir, Switzerland, in 1987. With in a short time, 34 houses were built out of which six are in chawl form. 34 homeless families of the Gawda community were given ownership. Follow-up were continued till the various problems were solved and the Colony was well settled.

Community Development Projects: Potable water and water for irrigation enabling unemployed and underemployed people to be agriculturally self-reliant were implemented with the participation of the respective communities in places like Aradi (Parra), Maina (Curtorim), Cuncolim, Korvem-Gaondongrem (Canacona) and Old Goa.

Services co-ordinated by Caritas Goa: Holy Childhood Association: The Director of Caritas Goa is appointed as the Diocesan Director for Holy Childhood for this Archdiocese. He is entrusted with the responsibility of disbursing the subsidy received from the Pontifical Society of the Missionary Childhood through the Apostolic Nunciature in New Delhi to deserving children under the age of 14, through institutions like the Diocesan Society of Education, as and when they apply for the same. The money is provided for the rehabilitation of the disabled and the needy (both Academic and Vocational) as also corrective surgery and specialized treatment. Applications of individual cases are considered when recommended by the respective Parish Priest.

Trust of Nicolau Sobrinho: The Nicolau Sobrinho Trust is an endowment made by Mr. Nicolau Sobrinho to Caritas Goa in 1968. The interest accrued on the amount is used to assist deserving girls with financial help towards preparation for marriage, poor persons for medical treatment and personal needs, (with appropriate recommendation).

Pulse Polio Immunization Awareness campaign: Caritas Goa assists government agencies in awareness campaigns through circulars, and other programmes.

Relief work after calamities; Caritas Goa co-ordinates the relief operations for victims of calamities. Another service Caritas Goa renders in the Archdiocese is to process all Social Welfare and Animation Projects to be recommended to Funding Agencies, with due approval of the Ecclesiastical Authorities.