| Participants: 70 | Nations Represented: 7 |
Cochin, Kerela, India—
Background: The city of Cochin is the home of an ancient Synagogue, old Roman Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant Churches, mosques, Sikh Gudwaran and Hindu Temples. The RYS coordinated its service project with an international interfaith conference sponsored by the WFIRC. After the participants finished their work they made presentations at the conference which were very inspiring to the whole audience.
Duration: September 16 - October 1, 1991
Work: The RYS worked at St. Joseph's elementary school whose 1000 students were without a single toilet. The school yard was unpaved so during the rainy season it was a field of mud, and the rain would pour into low level classrooms. Participants worked on several tasks, they paved a 120 feet by 25 feet school yard, they laid cement that raised three classrooms to prevent flooding, and built a small building for the school's only toilet facilities.
Summary: This project had a powerful impact on the Kochin and India interfaith community because of its linkage to the WFIRC interfaith meeting. Several interfaith leaders in the Kerala area were moved by the RYS and they helped make a foundation for further activities in that state.
Staff:
Project Director: Sri Venu Goswami
Program Manager: Rev. John W. Gehring
Advisors: Prof. Menon, Dr. Rao, Fr. Albert Nambiaprama
Cooperating Organizations: The World Federation of Interreligous Councils (WFIRC), The Kochin Cultural Center