Chairman Bishop Lumen Monteiro was touched to hear the stories of self-reliance and economic independence from the women assembled at Bishnah, Jammu.

Bishop Lumen was leading the three member team including Fr. Paul Moonjely, Assistant Director of Caritas India and Ms. Kindam Singh, Zonal Manager from Caritas India to assess impact and beneficiaries perception of partner’s intervention to gauge the impact of the project supported in Jammu.

300 women and men shared the stories of change brought through income generation program and organic farming supported by the project. The project helped the beneficiaries to setup small business to achieve productive engagement and financial empowerment to the families.

The team has visited Bishnah and Nagrota regions of Jammu from June 3-4, 2016 where the local partner Catholic Social Service Society (CSSS) is implementing the livelihood project.

“Presence of women members from different SHGs and Federations with their success stories gives testimony to the grassroot mobilization and strength of community groups” said the Chairman.

Giving the reference of women’s group in Kerala Fr. Paul emphasized women to get together to take respectable position in the male-dominated society.

Under the skill development program, 40 women are getting trained at Beauty Culture Centre, Nagrota who will receive diploma from National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS).

Bishop Lumen appreciated the impactful developmental activities undertaken by CSSS and urge them to dare and dream for an equitable society by touching the issues of the affected people.