By Stephen Raj, SJ | JRS South Asia
[From “Jesuits 2025 - The Society of Jesus in the world”]

JRS South Asia offers a wide range of services to both refugees and internally displaced people (IDPs), with a particular focus on facilitating reconciliation and providing mental health support.

“Peace, to me, means providing food and education for my children to live to see tomorrow”, expressed Razia, an Afghan refugee widow and tailoring student. Javed, another Afghan student of JRS’s Global English class, shared, “For me, peace is having an opportunity for education and employment to live with dignity”. A student from Marquette University added, “Peace building, to me, is cultivating compassion and unlocking one’s potential to foster right relationships with one another”. These conversations between Afghan refugees and Marquette University students during a recent visit to JRS Urban project centre in New Delhi, highlights diverse worldviews and aspirations shaped by distinct contexts.

The South Asian context

It is characterized by religious and ethnic pluralism, with displacement experiences. The region acts as both a source and host for refugees. Millions of displaced individuals in Afghanistan, India, and Bangladesh urgently await sustainable solutions for their humanitarian needs. In war-torn Afghanistan, internally displaced people and returnees live in fear, facing food insecurity and mental health issues. Overcrowded camps in Bangladesh host around a million Rohingya refugees, limiting the future prospects of a generation without formal education. In India, tens of thousands of asylum seekers and refugees from various countries, including Sri Lanka, Tibet, Myanmar, Afghanistan, Somalia, and Syria, reside in government camps and informal settlements waiting anxiously for resettlement.

JRS-South Asia’s response

Reconciliation and Mental Health & Psychosocial support stand as two key program priorities for JRS-South Asia. Through peace education and psychosocial skills training, JRS empowers refugee children, women, and youth to establish safe spaces and foster positive relationships within the refugee community and with host communities. This mission gains heightened significance in the face of ongoing global tragedies resulting in the loss of thousands of lives and the displacement of millions.

A story of resilience

Zari, 17, escaped Myanmar’s military violence in 2021, finding refuge in Mizoram. Her cousin, a People’s Defence Force member, assisted her but tragically lost his life. Filled with remorse, she withdrew from social life, fearing judgment. Joining JRS Learning Centre in February 2023, Zari found a supportive community of fellow Myanmar nationals; she felt revitalized through classes and activities. JRS’s psychosocial support and reconciliation sessions alleviated daily stressors and depression symptoms, helping her overcome remorse and accept that her cousin’s death was not her fault. Zari is grateful to JRS for providing a listening ear and a space for healing.

Empowering lives through education and livelihood

JRS South Asia, concretely, offers education for children, job-oriented training, and livelihood support for women and youth. Emergency assistance and community-based psychological aid are given to camp-bound refugees. Socioeconomic initiatives aim at fostering sustainable livelihoods. All this aims at their self-sustainability.

Tor Pekai, a Chin refugee and skilling circle member, received a micro-grant from JRS and has since launched a successful small business after completing JRS training. She now trains her younger siblings in embroidery, expanding her enterprise. Tor Pekai expresses a sense of accomplishment and pride, stating, “JRS gave me wings to fly and reach my potential”.

Accompanied to answer the call amidst adversity

From the ashes of debris, noble souls emerge. Despite facing death, destruction, and displacement, there are signs of vocations to religious life. In Tamil Nadu’s Sri Lankan refugee camps, nine individuals have answered the call, joining various congregations and dioceses. Inspired by the dedication of Jesuits and JRS staff, a refugee child in a Chennai camp responded to the call of God and was nurtured to become a Jesuit priest, Fr Robert, SJ, now serving in Sri Lanka. Figures like Fr Pakkiyanadhan, Sr Devakala, Fr Jeni, Sr Disha, Sr Stella Mary, Sr Kalista Glory, and Deacon Michael, who found their calling amid tragic experiences and challenging camp conditions, continue to serve as models for others. Fuelled by faith in God and love for humanity, their journey remains marked by resilience and determination. Today, they serve as beacons of hope among the poor and marginalized.

Advocating for change amidst challenges

In the face of indiscriminate conflict and violence, marked by a blatant disregard for human life and international governance principles, the rising culture of impunity is alarming, necessitating decisive action globally. JRS prioritizes advocacy for the rights of forcibly displaced individuals, focusing on promoting favourable practices, policies, and legislation.

The spirit of resilience and courage of refugees and IDPs inspire the mostly refugee-based JRS South Asia team to nurture and secure compassionate environment for them to reconstruct their lives and foster aspirations for a hopeful future. JRS continues to accompany them in their journey, overcoming challenges, towards building a world where they find protection, equal opportunity, and meaningful participation.