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A mature Christian sees Christ in everything and everyone else. That is a definition that will never fail you, always demand more of you, and give you no reasons to fight, exclude, or reject anyone.
'God knows that I am equal'. Words that our partner, Bezwada Wilson from our partner Safai Karmachari Andolan (SKA), shared recently when he was talking about his family being manual scavengers.
Manual scavengers are people from India’s lower casts who have historically been the ones to clean human excrement from dry latrines by hand, and are often sent down to clear blocked drains, submerging themselves in excrement. Manual scavengers are people who are not afforded the rights and dignity that others are because of the caste they are born into.
Bezwada couldn’t square his faith in a God who created and loved all equally, with the day-to-day reality of the life of manual scavengers which is why he has dedicated his life to challenging the practice and liberating and rehabilitating people from it.
We’re there before, during and after a disaster, to save lives and support people long term.
Christian Aid have walked with Bezwada and SKA for 43 years as they have educated scavengers about their human rights in a democratic country.
Despite the Indian Government banning manual scavenging in 1993, the practice continues. Because of the stigma surrounding scavenging, many people were initially reluctant to admit to being scavengers and protest; and the caste-based discrimination made it very hard for people to access better employment opportunities. With training and support that has started to change.
Brave women have publicly burned their excrement collecting baskets, taken to the streets and challenged state governments when they claim that the practice no longer happens.
SKA supported the campaign by providing photographic evidence. When this was rebuffed as ‘old pictures’, the women started to break the latrines. This meant that the police came, and reports were filed about the ‘destruction of government property’. It was these reports that then forced state governments to admit that the 5000-year-old practice was still continuing.
Over the years SKA have supported people to see their dignity and worth and have access to the training needed to escape this caste-based slavery.
Dignity for the Dalit Community
Working for equality and justice for all people is at the very heart of what Christian Aid does. Seeing all people as equal is something our world still struggles with, which is why the work of partners like SKA is so vital.
As we come into the summer months, I hope there is time for you to have a break and enjoy some warmer weather. I’ll be doing the Dundee Kiltwalk with my family on 17 August, walking from St Andrew’s to Dundee. Having just had a couple of days walking on the Fife coast I can attest to the fact it is glorious in the sun.
Having never been dry on the Glasgow Kiltwalk a couple of years ago, I’m hoping for a less damp experience this time around! For those of you joining this walk, I look forward to seeing you there.
We have a variety of fantastic events for you to take part in during 2025.
