“We left our homes, kith and kin and came to Goa in search of work to fulfil our basic needs, to educate our children and to take care of the needs of the elderly in our homes in Jharkhand. As some of us were falling ill we were looking for assistance with a basic medical check-up. Without our asking, you came to us, assessed our health condition and advised us to go through a medical check-up and organised a medical camp in our locality. As you organised the camp with professional doctors and nurses in our locality about 180 of us, working in farmlands as daily wage labourers in Goa, were able to benefit. This medical camp has been a gift to us. We speak Hindi. When we go to meet private doctors, language has been a barrier. You got translators for us. We could share with the doctors all our medical concerns. The doctors were compassionate towards us, patiently listened to our stories and treated us. Women were given special care. On behalf of the Adivasi community I want to thank you for your care and concern” expressed, Mrs. Jayanti Lakra.
Mr. Emisha Lakra gratefully praised the medical team and said, “You conducted health awareness sessions and taught us how to live a healthy life. Now we know how to take care of our health, especially of children, adolescent girls and the elderly. I felt good that a free check-up was done for our Adivasi community at Collem. We were able to learn a lot that we did not know before and the doctors gave us good treatment. You also gave us lunch as we had to queue up and wait for our turns”.
The medical team comprised 4 doctors, 5 nurses instrumental in organising the medical team. The medical camp was organized by Indian Social Institute and a lab assistant from Remanso hospital, Mapusa and JMJ hospital Porvoim. Fr. Joe Nazareth was, Bangalore in collaboration with Pilar Fathers in Shishyalaya at Collem.
“Yet another impact of the camp was building a close bonding with the Adivasi migrant community and various religious communities who are engaged in reaching out to the distressed migrants. The camp instilled confidence among the migrants that there are people who care for them,” stated Fr. Joshua the main coordinator in Collem. The camp was organised on 29 January 2023.
Fr. Joshua, Collem