Education and the Missionaries of Charity

Saint Teresa of Calcutta, a humanitarian and missionary nun, is one of the prominent figures in India. Born as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia, she felt a passionate religious call and responded to her vocation, at a very early age. Having been a teacher before leaving everything to serve the poorest of the poor, Mother understood the importance of education in one's life.

One of the greatest works of charity of Mother Teresa's, was the establishment of the Order of Missionaries of Charity in the 1950s. Mother Teresa’s sisters undertook numerous projects and established several branches over the city, to cater to the needs and alleviate the sufferings of the marginalized. The MoC focuses on providing children with basic enmities such as food, clothing, shelter, education, and medical facilities.

Slum schools by the Missionaries of Charity

In the very beginning, when slum schools were started by Mother Teresa’s sisters in the slum areas, the children eagerly looked forward to the teaching of the nuns.

Mothers reached out to children living in the homes and slums and sincere teaching efforts were made to provide them with basic education. These children were taught in groups under the trees, and Mother Teresa ensured that she could wholeheartedly serve the poorest of the poor and ‘‘give to the poor what the rich get with money.”  

This humble effort was one of their earliest contributions to the marginalized communities to improve the education amongst them, and today they have schools that are run by volunteers who teach children abandoned on the streets or from the local areas. The focus is not only on giving them much-needed basic knowledge but also on making the learning experience enjoyable.

The Missionaries of Charity had opened numerous free slum schools for children, the aim was to prepare them for admission in regular schools. Currently, education for the little ones is provided in the various homes and orphanages, along with vocational training and skill development.

 

The impact of their educational endeavors on society

The Missionaries of Charity play an important role in providing basic education and necessary knowledge to the countless children who don't have access to the same. Thereby, empowering them with the essential skills and the ability to provide for themselves.

The educational endeavors undertaken by Mother Teresa’s sisters play a key role in breaking the cycle of poverty and unemployment among the underprivileged and promoting social mobility. In the current world, especially in urban areas, increased social mobility enables and encourages people to seek jobs and establish themselves. Through such efforts, thousands of children who come from poor households, and low-income backgrounds with a lack of opportunities and healthy lifestyles, can improve their way of living.

Summary

Having been a teacher herself, Mother Teresa understood the importance of education in one's life. Education is not only about having basic knowledge about various subjects but importantly, it includes instilling essential values and morals such as empathy, compassion, logical reasoning, respect, and self- confidence into children.

The legacy of Mother Teresa’s charity lives on in all of the efforts made and projects undertaken by the members of the MoC, as all of them are done keeping in mind the values and beliefs of the organization.

Author’s Bio

If you wish to know more about the Missionaries of Charity and their various projects, then you should visit their official page.

Location: Kolkata, West Bengal, India

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