To grow aware of one's own value, to grow in abilities

Countries: Bangladesh, India, Philippines

Partner: Don Renato Rosso

Location: Khulna, Bangladesh; Rajastan, India; Maluso and Basilan, Philippines

Period: 1998-2006

Context: India and Bangladesh are the lands where "gypsy" people originated; and, split among hundreds of groups with different cultures and lifestyles, a few million still live here.

With 162 million inhabitants in an area that is half of the area of Italy, the tragedy of Bangladesh is not the cyclones that periodically demolish it, but poverty. India is marching fast towards progress, but the pace of most of its people is much slower and has so far left a lot of them suffering.

In this scenario, the nomads have preserved their culture, even though they have to adapt to changes, in order to survive day after day. Fishermen who live by moving on rivers, shepherds who move on pastures, day labourers, groups who go around villages to offer shows or natural cures, others who live precariously near the suburbs. Simple, authentic lives; haunted by misery and disease.

Without losing their true selves, what is a human value in their culture - the value of the family that considers the whole group as children and brothers, pursuing life and not excess to accumulate… - these communities need tools to give themselves new perspectives, they need people who make the group’s problem their own and consciously guide them to a new future.

Purpose: The vocation of Don Renato Rosso, a missionary among the gypsies of Asia, is very particular.

Witness of evangelical love, respectful of the faith and culture of each one, he advocates to be "last of the last" promoting to his best humanity of all.

The channel he uses is the school, not intended as a structure, but as people.

His are disciplines that travel with people, poor and precious, tailored to the time and needs of life to make children, young people, adults grow awareness of their personal value and the ability to face the challenges of everyday life.