b'PARTNERING WITH THE POOR IN INDIA AND AFRICAThrough education, job training, safe havens and womens empowerment, the Marianists have ministeredto the poor in India and Eastern Africa for more than 20 years through Partnering With The Poor.In the District of India, which is part of the Society of Mary Province of the United States, the Marianistssponsor seven schools, supplying much-needed education for a country in which 30 percent of rural resi-dents are illiterate. Centers operated by the Ragpickers Education and Development Scheme (REDS) keepchildren off the streets of the slums, offering vocational training skills, food and health care. Empowermentprograms also offer women skills to form businesses, plus health care and child development education.The Region of Eastern Africa, which includes Kenya, Zambia and Malawi, also was part of the USAprovince until becoming independent in 2011. Still, the Eastern Africa Marianists receive support fromPartnering With The Poor programs.The Marianists operate four schools in Eastern Africa, as well as four skills training programs forwomen between the ages of 16 and 25.For more information about Partnering With The Poor, or to donate, visit marianist.com/ Marianist Father VaraprasadIndia-Africa. Nittamaria distributes food onApril 14, 2020 at REDS inBangalore, Karnataka.Through that, we were able to do a lot of things,Father Kujur said. We took care of so many familiesby giving them food, bread and so forth.Father Kujur commended his Marianist Brotherswho selflessly ministered to children and families inneed, distributing education materials, food andmedication.A good number of brothers really helped, he said. Close to homeThough none of the Marianist Brothers contractedCOVID during the first wave, COVID struck close tohome in the second wave, in March of 2021. Accordingto Father Kujur, six brothers got COVID, with threeserious cases and one death.I hate to think that we lost that brother, said Father Kujur, who also was ill with COVID for 21days. We had to take care of brothers, so thatswhat we did. We took care of them through a lot of difficulties.Treatment options were negligible.Our health system was overwhelmed, he added,noting that some patients had to seek treatment in aneighboring state. The second wave was very serious.Most of the brothers had COVID in the third wave,he said, but most had their (vaccine) doses.Still, the brothers face an uncertain future. Newcases were ticking up, to about 10,000 a day throughJune 12 from about 3,000 a day in mid-May. Despitea precipitous drop in the case load from the height ofthe second wave, Father Kujur strikes a cautious tone.Cases are coming, he said.marianist.com/donate 13'