Dhaka, a Christmas of solidarity towards the neediest families
The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Tejgaon, a district of the capital, held a fundraising campaign to be ale to gift small sums of money to needy families. For some it's an opportunity to buy meat and sweets. Others use it to buy a dress for their daughter. One parishioner: the festive season is an opportunity to "show compassion to others".
Dhaka (AsiaNews) - "Today I received a sum of money as a gift. I will use it to buy meat and a cake. So my Christmas will be better. And for this I want to thank those who have joined the fundraiser for us," says Manju Palma, a Catholic who lives in a slum in Dhaka. She works as a cleaner in an office, and is a widow and mother of three children, this small amount of help received for the holidays is precious: "I am the only one who earns money in the family. This money will help me with teh cost of living in this expensive city," she tells AsiaNews .
The woman is one of 80 needy people who on December 20 received this "Christmas gift" from the volunteers of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul in Tejgaon, a district of Dhaka. A total of 10 euros each, a small sum apparently, but a precious good for those in need. Like her, Nipu Gomes, disabled and in financial difficulty, received the sum that will allow him to cover his expenses: "I can't work like everyone else. But today I was able to buy - she says with a smile - a new dress for my beloved daughter".
Bruno Dias, president of the local section of the Catholic association, explains that he collected the sum from some families of faithful who wanted to share part of their savings. "We collected the money during Sunday masses," Dias explains.
As well as "knocking door to door" and "collecting funds" with various initiatives, and then distributing according to a predetermined list. He points out that due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of families in need has grown, as has the list of beneficiaries. "Sometimes we encounter obstacles" and people "do not allow us to enter their homes," Dias says, but in general "we are welcomed with warmth and cooperation."
In the past, for Christmas, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Tejgaon promoted the distribution of festive sweets, rice, oil, soap and cloth; since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, the preference has been to collect and distribute money to better meet needs. At the same time Catholic volunteers try to contribute to human development by taking care of the spiritual element, witnessing Christ, trying to remove obstacles to development and the roots of poverty. In many cases, this service is offered without distinction of faith, caste, skin color or social background.
Fr. Kollol L Rozario, deputy parish priest in Tejgaon, speaks with admiration of the members of the society who do "exceptional work, helping the needy in my parish." A parishioner, who asks for anonymity, confirms his joy in bringing help to people in difficulty: "I think that Jesus - he says - came to earth for needy and sad people. Christmas is the right time to show compassion to our neighbors in need of our support."
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04/09/2018 10:28
