Mangaluru: Several students and the staff of St. Aloysius College conducted a visit to the slum affected areas at Basavalingappa Nagara Colony and Pachanadi, here in the city.

The purpose of the visit was to get exposure of life’s issues and struggle of the slum dwellers.

After an interaction, students and staff came across to their several concerns such as drinking alcohol among men; water supply; lack of electricity; proper housing facilities; communicable diseases such as Malaria, Jaundice, and TB.

Almost slum dwellers were SC/ST and were the migrants from the states such as Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh and Dakshina Kannada region.

People are staying here for 30 years. Besides, team found their living condition unhygienic, where children and women are vulnerable to the communicable diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya.

Moreover, their housing condition is poor and access to health care is limited. Currently, the department of social work has shown their interest to motivate them, also to improve their life conditions.

St Aloysius College (Autonomous) Centre for Social Concern along with the students of Department of MSW, Ms Shwetha Rasquinha, an Asst Professor (MSW), Fr Eric Mathias SJ, PRO of St Aloysius College and foreign volunteers – Mr Peter, Ms Diana, Ms Laly, Ms Chris from England and Ms Lenka from Slovakia visited slums in the city.

Moreover, MSW Department and St Aloysius College have begun ‘Vocational Training Programme in tailoring for women, also a focus on the education for the children.  

‘Children’s Club’ has been formed in order to get engage in the lives of the children, bringing awareness on the importance of education, moral values, health and hygiene