REPORT ON YOUTH FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE CAMP, BANGALORE
The NCCI-Commission on Youth
successfully organized the Youth for Social Justice Camp at Visthar, Bangalore
from 3rd – 7th August in partnership with NCCI-Commission
on Justice, Peace and Creation, International Justice Mission and Visthar. The
five days camp was allocated with different social problems – Trafficking,
Sexual Minorities, Child Rights and Disability.
The camp was inaugurated with a
welcome address by Rev. Sweety Helen, Executive Secretary of Commission on
Youth-NCCI, who gave a brief introduction about the Camp and sessions of the
program which are going to be conducted throughout the Camp i.e. on Sexual Trafficking,
Gender, Disability, Child Abuse and Sexual Minorities. The first day was
apportioned with the theme on Trafficking. After the inaugural session, Rev.
Helen conducted the Bible Study from Luke 4:18 about the proclamation
of good news, recovery of sight and freedom to the oppressed. The ted talk
video of Ms. Sunita Krishnan, on Child Trafficking encompassing the lives of
children who were trafficked for commercial sex work and were found in the most
awful manner. This ted talk made people realize that trafficking is a real and
a big issue in India. The introduction session was carried out by Rev. David
Selvaraj, Director, Visthar, with a game and later an interactive with thought
provoking points. He emphasized mostly on criminal and social justice, i.e.
retributive and restorative justice. The first session was conducted by Mr. Shantanu
Dutta, Director of Public Engagement, International Justice Mission, he
elaborated on the topic of trafficking which includes not only sex trafficking
but organ trade and bonded labour by deceiving people showing opportunities to
grow and also showed some documentaries getting the participants deep into the
issue which was followed by an interactive session with Ms. Erin from IJM. In
the evening an ice breaker session was organized where the participants got to
know about the other and were divided into four different groups namely
Othniel, Deborah, Jephthah and Gideon. In the evening, vesper was led by Team
Othniel.
The second day with a theme on
Sexual Minorities and Gender started with a Bible Study conducted by Rev. Ruben
Manohar, MTh, The United Theological College, Bangalore, focusing on gender
issues, a crisis between Hagar, Sarah and Abraham from Genesis 16. The passage
was shown in a different perspective to question the youth if was that fair
enough and justified. The session on knowing oneself and knowing better on the gender
was led by Rev. Helen. The introduction on sex-gender-minorities was given by
Ms. Akkai Padmashali, founder-member of Ondede and her group. It was quite
challenging for all the participants realizing them the social realities
towards the sexual minorities. In the second session on Sexual Minorities Ms. Akkai
further led the critical analysis on knowing the sexual minorities, what they want,
what they are and why they demand for an identity. The social treatment and
their personal experiences were shared and how they are victimized by the
society which claims to be democratic and just for all. Later Mr. Santosh
Karthik who is a gay, Ms. Shanti who is a transwoman and Ms. Pushpa who is a
bisexual shared their testimonies which were brainstorming for the participants
helping in knowing them and their feelings which are no different from the
heterosexuals. Seeking for dignity and respect from the society which they
deserve to get are the most desired among the sexual minorities. Most
participants found them to be strange before but later the feedback from all
was quite positive and respectful towards them. The vesper, in the evening was
led by Team Deborah.
The third day with a theme on Child
Rights was started with a Bible Study led by Rev. Christy Gnanadson, MTh, The
United Theological College, Bangalore, considering about Child Rights with
biblical context comparing the incident of Abraham sacrificing his son Isaac
and Jephthah sacrificing his daughter and Jesus blessing little children in Mark 10:15 and
Mathew 19:13. The topic was bought forward with a different approach about
their stories. In the morning session, Mr. Raja, popularly known as Auto Raja,
founder of New Ark Mission, conducted a session on the practical implication of
Youth for Social Justice. He showed his work documentary encompassing the lives
of distressed destitutes whom he has rescued and also shared his testimony of
life how he started his journey. Many participants were moved by his
documentary. The session was followed by some creative activities by the
participants. The introductory session on Child Rights was carried out by Mr.
Satya Rabbin Das and Mr. Jianthaolung Gonmei. Later there was a sharing session
with a Sri Lankan group of girls with the topic on Spirituality in which Rev.
Helen led the session. The afternoon session was on Child Rights by Ms. Brinda
Adige, Director of Global Concerns India. She gave a brief statistical analysis
of Child Rights. She enlightened the participants and challenged that in Indian
ethos one must take courage to make personal and professional commitments to
make children live in a better place. Later there was a screening of short film
named “Anamika” which was shot in the India's biggest red light area Kamatipura
in Mumbai which showed up the pain and anguish of the abducted girls who are
forcefully thrown into the Sex Work. There by giving a message to the youth to
wake up and reach the vulnerable people. The evening session was Doll Exhibition
arranged by Ms. Francoise, which was very creative and innovative. The dolls
were made based on the social realities of oppression and marginalization
towards vulnerable section society. The vesper of the day was led by team
Gideon.
The fourth day was themed under the
topic Disability. The morning Bible Study was conducted by Rev. Christy Gananadason
on the topic of disability with the biblical references from the book of
Leviticus and gospels of John and Mark. There was an exposure out at the Liza’s
home, a place for mentally and physically challenged women which is being run
by Mrs. Molly Abraham and Rev. K.C. Abraham. There was an interaction with the
mentally challenged people at Liza’s Home and the personal experiences and
testimonials of the parents who face the challenges in their daily life. There
was an interactive session in the afternoon with Mr. Chip Kingery from ProVision
Asia,Bangalore, who explained about the disability with the biblical context.
He brought out four points that Human beings are created in God’s image,
created by God and for God, fearfully and wonderfully made and that God doesn't
make mistakes. The session was followed by an interactive sessionwithMr. Muni
who was rescued from the Bangalore railway station by Mr. Chip Kingery. The
session was an informative and first hand experience for the participants to
interact with him about the life and challenges that he had faced being a
disabled person neglected and discriminated by his family and the society. The evening session was lively with
Rev. David Selvaraj who led a session that gave the participants a new idea on
how to depict the message shown in the imagery called as the Boal theatre initiated
by Augusto Boal which is also known as theatre of the oppressed. The motivation
of this genre of theatre is to allow the ‘spectator’ not as a mere spectator
but to involve as a ‘spec-actor’ realizing the realities of the oppressed
section of the society. Through this theatre of the oppressed, Rev. Selvaraj
urged the campers to come out from being as mere spectators of the society
towards oppressed society but to involve and act for the change. He further
claimed that this theatre of the oppressed allows as a rehearsal for the
revolution. The evening vesper was led by team Jephthah. After the dinner there
was a cultural night where participants represented their cultures in the form
of dances, songs and skits.
The fifth day started with a Bible Study
by Rev. Ruben Manohar with the biblical text from Daniel 1. In the morning
session there was an exposure to Home of Hope which was part of New Ark Mission
run by Mr.Raja famously known as Auto Raja. Mr. Raja who has started his New
Ark Mission for the destitute has three centres for Men, Women and Children.
The campers visited the centres for women and children and had an interaction
with the inmates knowing in which way they have been rescued, how are they
leading the present life and what are they expecting from the society and
church. The campers presented few action songs and later danced with them.The
campers contributed money together and few rations were donated at the centre.
The campers had a meaningful time with them at the centre seeing the realities
of the society who are being left neglected and unwanted.In the afternoon the
camperswere divided into four groups and shared their thoughts and made an
action plan of what all a youth can do to inspire, educate, aware people about
all these issues that have talked and discussed from the last four days from
grassroot levels and using platforms to convey to the people.The campers
believed that there should be an awareness among the youth both in the Church
and outside the Church making them realize the social realities and educating
the people to overcome from the social stigma of discrimination and prejudices
towards the sexual minorities and the disabled people in order to bring Social
Justice among them and for all. After the discussion and action plan session, the
camp concluded with a vote of thanks rendered by Rev. Sweety Helen, Executive
Secretary of Commission on Youth, NCCI and urged the campers to spread the
awareness to all the youth for social change and justice.
