Education and development in India

Anima Universale helps the FIDES Body of Bangalore, founded by salesian sister Nancy Pereira (1923-2010), defined as “the entrepreneur of poor people” by Pope John Paul II. Many Italian people knew this extraordinary sister also thanks to the movie “A simple gift” in which the famous Italian actress Virna Lisi played the role of Sister Nancy. The film was broadcast in Italy by the television channel “RAI 2” on 27th December 2000. (In the photograph, the President of Anima Universale is between father Matteo and sister Nancy, with the wonderful nuns of FIDES mission).

Our help:

From 2001 to 2010, Anima Universale cooperated with sister Pereira by sponsoring thirty children who live in the slums near Bangalore. Thanks to our support, they were able to attend school and build a better future for themselves and their families. We donated Euro 52,796.22 for these sponsorships.

Moreover, Anima Universale donated to sister Nancy Euro 51,093.10 for her FIDES project and contributed to the making of one of her dreams come true: the building of a family-house for orphans, where many children saved from loneliness and hunger are already living. Sister Nancy accompanied some ramias to visit them, and their happy welcome was amazing to say the least.

More on sister Nancy Pereira

i ramia a Bangalore con suor Nancy Pereiraramia Carlo with sister Nancy PereiraSwami Roberto’s mother with sister NancySister Nancy (1923-2010) has founded in Bangalore, India, the Body FIDES (Family Integral Development Education Scheme) aimed at integral development of families who live in villages and urban suburbia - slums - and opened the bank for micro-credit “Fund for the poor”.

(In the photograph: the beloved sister Nancy is going with some ramias to visit the slums and to meet the children we have sponsored).

Sister Nancy promotes interventions in the most poor areas of India, in order to grant people the possibility to attend school and to start-up small enterprises by means of savings and self financing. She also takes care to educate women on food and personal hygiene, in order to fight against infant and maternal mortality. She created anonymous support groups against the plague of alcoholism and promotes the spreading of moral values such as respect, brotherhood and solidarity.

In 1998 sister Pereira was given the prestigious “Golden Apple Award” from the Marisa Bellisario Foundation. In 2001 she received the award “One Mandir for Peace“. The attribution of this important prize was reported on 24 October 2001 by the Italian Bishops’ newspaper “L’Avvenire”.

‹ Our contribution to VIDES International Support for the Eastern Catholic Church ›