A Canada-based Catholic humanitarian group has come forward to support the education of children of the Kandhamal survivors in Odisha, eastern India.

“Faith without work is dead,” said Al Basilo, operations head of the Answering the Cry of the Poor (ANCOP) International Canada, at a gathering of 522 such children who gathered at Catherine’s Girls’ Convent, Raikia, a major parish in the Kandhamal district of Odisha.

The area comes under the Archdiocese of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. Basilo said they started ANCOP as the social arm of the Couples for Christ to fulfill its responsibility to build the Church of the poor. “I am really inspired to know the sacrifice of Kandhamal people who witnessed Christ even unto death,” he told.

“The persecution, killing and murder just because you are Christian are indeed very sad and unfortunate. I want to listen to the children of Kandhamal survivors,” said Basilo, who was visiting India for the first time.