A church-run centre offering vital services to impoverished children with disabilities in northern Bangladesh marked its silver jubilee on February 3 this year with a call for local help amid a funding crunch. Snehaneer, which means home of compassion in Bangla, is a shelter for physically challenged children in Rajshahi city that has been in operation since 1992.

It started by helping two disabled children and now has 42 residents taken care of by nuns from Catechist Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Queen of Angels (CIC) congregation.

"Snehaneer helped rebuild my life although after I was paralyzed," Martin Tudu, 35, an indigenous Santal Catholic, told ucanews.com.

Tudu injured his spine while playing football when he was 12. He spent years at the centre, gaining an education and computer training. Today, he works as an accountant.

The Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (PIME) congregation helps support the centre and secures overseas funding.

Besides board and food, the centre offers children with disabilities basic education and vocational skills training.

"For 25 years, we have tried our best to support disabled children without expecting anything in return. We want to continue this service but don't want to raise the number of beneficiaries in order to maintain quality," CIC nun Sister Dipika Magdaline Palma, director of the centre, said.

The nun said the centre wants to create a permanent fund so it does not need to rely on foreign funding, which has been diminishing.  

Bishop Gervas Rozario of Rajshahi who attended the celebrations promised support to the nuns.

"Fund raising is a big challenge, yet we cannot leave disabled people behind. As long as PIME priests are here, the diocese will continue to raise overseas funds with their help and we will create a stable fund so we can carry on into the future," Bishop Rozario said. n

Source: ucanews.com

Photo: Writer, Internet