MAR THOMA CHURCH TO SUPPORT TRANSGENDERS

MAR THOMA CHURCH

TO SUPPORT TRANSGENDERS

The Mar Thoma Church intends to launch its Navodaya movement for supporting the transgender community in Kerala.The church has been carrying out a similar project in Mumbai since 2014. The aim of the project is to reintegrate the State’s transgender community into the social mainstream, Bishop Geevarghese Mar Theodosius told the media here on Friday.

Land for shelter home

As part of this, the church has allocated land in Pathanamthitta for setting up a shelter home for transgenders aged 13 and above.“Ideally, all children should grow up with families and the church will counsel parents and adolescent transgender people to encourage them to complete their education and remain integrated as a family. But in cases where this is difficult, they will be allowed to become residents of the shelter home,” he said.The church would also arrange for health and medical facilities for residents and help them pursue studies.

Helpline number

The church would conduct outreach programmes in secular institutions such as schools and hospitals and work with governmental and non-governmental agencies for advocacy of human rights for transgender programmes as also for their livelihood creation. The helpline number is 1-800-3000-5110.

Prof. John Kurakar