Sr. Prema Chowallur SCC wanted to serve the church since she was a child. When it was time to choose, she joined the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod. The congregation was born in 1838 at Chavanod, a small village of Savoie in France. It came to India in 1886 as a response to the invitation of Missionaries of St Francis de Sales to collaborate in apostolic work. Among their first works was educating the girls. Sr.Prema is an educator with Bachelor and Master’s degree in Education who spent 15 years teaching before she moved on to development work.
Teaching though remains a big part of her development work, she conducted talks and webinars on caring for the environment and the entire creation. During the celebration of the Season of Creation this year, her webinars ‘Story of the Universe’ and ‘Eco-feminism’ were attended by more than 1,000 sisters from around the globe. Her passion for caring for the environment is equivalent to her ardour in caring for the marginalized sectors of the society. She works for the welfare of the victims of human trafficking, vulnerable girls and the voiceless and the rejected group of transgender community. Working for her two passions exposes her to the manifestations of Laudato Si’: the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor’. Hence it was no surprise that Sr Prema was instrumental for her congregation to sign up as a Member Organization for the Laudato Si Movement. The mission of Laudato Si Movement resonates with that of the congregation.
As Sr. Prema said, the congregation is progressive and always works with the signs of the times. What could be more urgent now but the crisis faced by Mother Earth? The environmental issues compounded the sorry plight of the marginalized sector such as repudiated and ostracised transgender community who are forced to live in the streets and work withstanding the unpredictable weather and pollution along with the inhumane challenges imposed by the society.
The most vulnerable victims of climate change are women and children. In the midst of natural calamities the human traffickers carry away like eagles the helpless women, children and young girls and sell them for a price camouflaged with job opportunity and high income. Just as we plunder and sell the natural resources for money, the women, children and youth are plundered and enslaved.
The problem of shelter was addressed when the Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters (RHoSS), an initiative headed by Sr. Prema, finally found a place to rent this year. The shelter is located in Guwahati, Assam and houses the people marginalised and living on the periphery of the society. The RHoSS provides a safe place where the vulnerable community is supported and educated. While at the shelter, they are taught practical life skills to help them integrate into the mainstream. Part of their lifestyle orientation is caring for the environment. They were taught practical daily applications such as proper disposal of plastics and saving water as well the big picture of why everyone should do her or his share in caring for the environment. The residents especially the transgender are very outspoken, some are cynical, but they heed the teachings when they can fully grasps its importance. Through them as well as training programs organised in universities, colleges, schools and parishes Sr. Prema hopes to spread the message of love for mother earth and the entire creation.
