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Indian diocese brings New Year's cheer to widows

Beneficiaries of sewing machines gifts hope for a better financial future
Indian diocese brings New Year's cheer to widows
Mary Naidu at work with her new sewing machine
Published: January 06, 2011 07:55 AM GMT
Updated: November 29, -0001 04:34 PM GMT

Mary Naidu was thrilled to receive a New Year’s gift from Indore diocese in central India. “I celebrated this New Year with great joy thanks to the special gift from my diocese,” the 52-year-old Catholic widow told ucanews.com Jan. 4. She works at a tailor shop six hours a day earning a meager 30 rupees a day (US$0.68), which she said is insufficient to feed her family of two children. The new sewing machine she received, Naidu added, will enable her to work from home and earn additional income. Naidu was among four widows who received sewing machines from the Indore Diocese Social Service Society on New Year’s Day. Father Simon Raj, who directs the society, said the diocese decided to help the widows after seeing them live in a “pathetic condition.” Each sewing machine costs 7,000 rupees (US$160), he told ucanews.com. “We are confident they will make the best use of the help we have provided them,” the priest added. Julie Narona, another beneficiary, said she intends to use the diocese’s New Year’s gift to improve her standard of living. The 60-year-old said the machine would help her earn at least 100 rupees a day repairing clothes. “The new machine is a boon to our family,” she smiled. Related reports Free medical camps in central India help poor Indian diocese comes to aid of Kashmiri refugees Nun protests for rights of domestic workers IC12717.1635

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