ASIA/INDIA - Missionaries from Spain, Jesuits and Salesians, religious and lay members, promote education for development of Tribals in Gujarat

New Delhi (Agenzia Fides) - Missionaries from Spain, Jesuits and Salesians, religious and lay members are busy preparing teachers to help the development of Tribals in the western Indian state of Gujarat. The missionaries have education programmes mainly in and around the town of Bhiloda.
The missionaries provide education and formation for 220 children from poor families, many of the parents are unemployed. St Francis Xavier College is preparing 352 girls and 475 boys for university. “We aim to form teachers who can serve the community with competence, and commitment”, Jesuit Father Ignazio Ordonez told Fides. Spanish missionaries also helped open ten infant care homes for 3 - 5 year olds.
These education programmes aim to help the development of Adivasi tribals in this part of India. Bilhoda a town with a population of 200,000 is in northern Gujarat where the Church has homes for 20,000 children. Gujarat is also sadly famous for attacks religious minorities by recrudescent Hindu extremist groups.
(PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/10/2004 righe 25 parole 242)