Evangelische Bank eG
IBAN: DE85 5206 0410 0000 0001 24
BIC: GENODEF1EK1
India: Slum-Project
India: Learning Through Living With the Poor
In India, two thirds of the people live in poverty. Over 30 percent are considered as extremely poor. Pastors from the Church of South India stand by them and support them with their problems. But for them, it is also a strain dealing with the difficult life conditions of their fellow countrymen.
On the one hand, India now ranks third on the list of the world’s largest economies. On the other hand, over 750 million Indians are affected by poverty. The gap between rich and poor is enormous.
The opposites are also noticeable in Madurai. With over a million inhabitants, Madurai is the third largest city in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. About 30 percent of inhabitants live in slums on the outskirts of the city. Most of them are day labourers who have no fixed income. Due to financial uncertainty and living on the fringes of society, there is a very high rate of violence, especially against women and migrants.
Living next door to slum dwellers
The Tamil Nadu Theological Seminary has therefore started a special semester of practical work. In the second year of study, theological students are sent to various slums in Madurai. There, they live in small groups, door to door with the slum dwellers. In this way, students learn at first hand about the fears and worries the people have. This special practical work also benefits the slum dwellers since they receive care and support and get to know the budding theologists who experience at close quarters what it feels like to live in a slum. The students learn all about survival strategies. At the same time, they support the people with pastoral care and try to bring about some improvement in their living and working conditions as best they can.
India
1.32 billion inhabitants, of which 65 million live in slums
Achieving more together
Once a week, the students meet to talk about what they have experienced. In addition, there are monthly meetings with representatives of the non-organised labourers. Together the team discusses ideas and ways to improve the living and working conditions of the slum dwellers.
Project goals
According to estimates, more than one billion people live in slums throughout the world today – and about 300,000 people line in the slums of the city of Madurai in southern India. Life without any kind of infrastructure is marked by poverty and violence. At the same time, the slums are home to women and men and of families with children who go about their work, play and learn. The Theological Seminary of the Church of South India (CSI) in Tamil Nadu has set itself the aim of giving slum dwellers a voice and improving their living conditions.
Project work
In the second year of study, the Theological Seminary in Tamil Nadu offers a special semester of practical work. The theology students are sent to various slums in Madurai and live next door to the slum dwellers. They share their fears and worries and learn what it feels like to live in a slum. At the same time, they support the people with pastoral care. The students meet to talk about their experiences and together with their lecturers they work out ways to improve living and working conditions.
Project partner
Today, the Church of South India (CSI) is the largest Protestant church in India with almost four million members in 24 church dioceses and 15,000 parishes. It is therefore one of the largest Protestant churches in Asia. The CSI maintains kindergartens, schools, colleges, professional institutes and hospitals. The church's territory covers the large area of the five southernmost Indian federal states of Karanatka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
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