World Mission Day News

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Saving Children from Slavery
8 Oct 2009

Sr Clara

Earlier this year the police helped Sister Clara rescue Lakshmi from a life of slavery. Lakshmi had been working as a slave for two years. Lakshmi is only eight years old.
In Marialaya , Chennai, Salesian Sister Clara FMA, along with eight sisters look after the wellbeing of  Lakshmi and 150 children in St Joseph’s Special Care Home.  They provide shelter, food, clothing, and education for girls aged between four and 18.
The girls come from various backgrounds. Some are orphaned, some are from poor families unable to provide for them, and some girls are brought to the Sisters by the police or awarded by judges as ‘wards of state’ as St. Joseph’s is a recognised government home.
Lakshmi is one of the Sisters’ most recent newcomers. She is one of ten children, and her mother, unable to support her, sold her into domestic slavery as a house cleaner for a local businessman in Chennai. A neighbour realised that she was being mistreated and physically abused, so reported this to the police.
Due to the abject poverty in the country, there is, sadly, widespread abuse. As a result, the Government has set up a special telephone hotline called “Childline India” for people to report any form of child abuse and/or exploitation.
The Sisters, along with the local police, visited the house during the day while the owner was away at work and rescued the girl and took her to Marialaya. The police proceeded to arrest the man who has since been sentenced and imprisoned.
Now the sisters have the task of raising Lakshmi, and protecting her. Lakshmi is from the north of the country, Rajasthan state, and only spoke Hindi when they found her. She has quickly learnt Tamil in the past three months and is adjusting quite well.
It is through your donations to Catholic Mission’s work with Communities and with Children that Sr Clara can free many young girls from a life of slavery.