(ANS – Jorhat) – In the space of three days, from 28th to 30th April, 2013, fifty-two members of “Young Misings Association” (YMA) from Jorhat, Sivasagar and Golaghat districts of Assam, surprised the people of Jorhat with their social engagement as never seen before in the town. These lively youth were participating in a training programme for youth leaders of the Mising tribe, conducted by the Institution for Culture and Rural Development (I-CARD), Jorhat.
 
During the inauguration of the training programme, Fr. Thomas Kalapurackal, founder and Rector of I-CARD, said, “Village development is like irrigating an arid field to cultivate rice. The YMA members must become the channels and pipes to bring to the villages the development dreamt of by I-CARD.”

At 5.30 a.m. on 28th April, the youngsters were in Lichubari, cleaning the streets. Bystanders were amazed to see young tribal faces engaged in cleaning their streets and alleys with brooms and spades. In 90 minutes, the young people had cleared the rubbish with their own hands. The rest of the day was spent listening to talks given by educators and social workers.

As the second day dawned, the young people were on their way to Nirmal Hriday, the orphanage and children’s home, run by the Mother Teresa nuns. Some girls helped the sisters cleaning the rooms and working in the laundry. The boys cleaned the campus and the drains, and repaired the fences. For the young people, this was their first face-to-face encounter with the work of Mother Teresa. Binua Doley of Kakotichuk said, “I am proud to associate in some way with the work of the internationally famous Mother Teresa. I have heard much about her work but never seen it in action. Today, thanks to I-CARD, I am privileged to be a part of this noble service.” The youngsters were only too happy to entertain the invalids and babies of Nirmal Hriday with a well prepared cultural show in the evening.

On the third day, the members of the YMA went to the veterinary campus of Baghchung, to the government run poultry farm. Within 45 minutes, the fifty plus young people with bamboo twigs, spades and grass cutting knives, gave a new look to the campus. Cutting grass, removing stubble, gathering the rubbish, putting away the waste and cleaning the windows and doors kept the young people busy and happy. The authorities had been approached the previous day for the necessary permissions. They were only too willing to cooperate with I-CARD, as they had already heard of its activities.  

These three days of social engagement were part of the training for the presidents and secretaries of Young Misings Association. 26 groups were represented out of the total of 349 youth groups started by the Institution for Culture and Rural Development (I-CARD). In every village where it operates, I-CARD has a youth group that works for the personal development of its members, for community transformation and the promotion of ethical values and civic sense.

Published 08/05/2013