The Tamil Nadu Bishops’ Council (TNBC) Commission for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes has completed the construction of 12 houses for some of the state’s poorest Dalit families, offering them safe and permanent homes after years of living in difficult conditions.
The houses were built through the Commission’s “Housing for the Homeless” initiative with financial support from CHARIS Singapore. Families from the dioceses of Chengalpattu and Vellore, and the archdioceses of Pondicherry-Cuddalore and Madras-Mylapore benefited from the project.
The Commission said the initiative focused on helping the most neglected and vulnerable families, often referred to in the Bible as the “Anawim of Yahweh”—the humble poor who place their trust in God. In the Indian context, this includes people affected by caste discrimination and extreme poverty.
Beneficiaries were selected through field visits and recommendations from parish staff, diocesan directors, and local leaders. Priority was given to widows, single mothers, elderly people, persons with disabilities, and families living in unsafe huts and temporary shelters.
Among those helped was Sekar from Chengalpattu Diocese, whose family had been living under a tarpaulin sheet and taking refuge in neighbours’ homes during heavy rains. Widow Nirmala, another beneficiary, struggled to support her children while living in an unsafe hut.
Church leaders said the project was inspired by the mission to serve “the least, the lost, and the last.” They emphasized that these homes offer more than shelter—they restore dignity, security, and hope to families who had long been forgotten by society.
