wfn.org | TCN: Indian social service organization visits PCT

["Lydia Ma" <enews@pctpress.org>]

>      Taiwan Church News

>2989 Edition

>June 8~14, 2009

>Indian social service organization visits PCT

>Reported by staff

>Written by Lydia Ma

Four delegates from India’s Madras Christian Council of  Social Service (MCCSS)

visited Taiwan at the invitation of Chang Jung Christian  University. Mr. Dcruz

Jachene, Mr. Sundaram Baskar, Mr. Jachene Solomon, and Ms. E. John  Beulah

Selvamani visited Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (PCT)  headquarters, Tainan

Theological College and Seminary, Chang Jung Christian University,  Garden of

Mercy Foundation, and other social service organizations to share  about their

ministry among poor people, marginalized women, and those  afflicted with AIDS in

>Chennai, India.

MCCSS delegates visited PCT headquarters on June 1st and were  greeted by

PCT General Secretary Andrew Chang. Chang and MCCSS delegates  shared

about their own respective ministries. PCT Church and Society  Committee

Secretary Chang Meng-yi arranged for the team to visit Tainan  Theological College

and Seminary on June 5th to share their experiences in Chennai  with students

>there.

Chennai, formerly known as Madras, is the fourth largest city in  India and close to

the sea. The city has a population of over 7 million, though only  4 million or so

people were registered in the last national census. The literacy  rate in Chennai is

74% for women and 85% for men. The city is riddled with problems  such as poverty,

domestic violence, human trafficking of children, prostitution,  and drug trafficking.

Because of severe gender discrimination and discrimination against  Dalits, the

rights of these people are continually ignored.

The main goal of MCCSS is to help women and marginalized people in  Chennai

become educated and financially independent. Their client base  includes Dalits,

homeless people, prostitutes, and single mothers. Most of  MCCSS’s focus is on

>helping women.

Since empowering women requires enabling them to be financially  independent,

MCCSS uses intervention programs, family counseling, and  vocational training to

help women acquire skills and correct values that will lift them  out of poverty. The

organization provides embroidery, nail painting, computer and  other classes for

women so that they can learn vocational skills within one month  and find

>employment.

MCCSS is currently raising funds to build another training center.  60% of the

organization’s funding comes from government agencies while  the remaining 40%

>comes from private donations.

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