Rita Joseph is a New Delhi-based journalist who has worked for the nationwide Press Trust of India and as features editor of The Statesman, an English-language daily newspaper in India. She writes for media outlets in India and the United States, including Matters India, a news portal that collaborates with GSR and focuses on religious and social issues.
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Sisters of the Destitute in Kochi bring light into 'Enclave of Darkness'
A slum in the southwestern Indian city of Kochi is now called Udaya Colony (Sunrise Enclave), with buildings of two and three floors, painted with attractive colors, that were once one-room, cramped tenements.
Q & A with Sr. Roselin Chirayil, founder caring for women with mental illness
Moved by the plight of women abandoned in the streets in Kerala, India, Sr. Roselin Chirayil left the Daughters of Mary and started a new order, the Sisters of Mercy, solely dedicated to caring for destitute women with mental illnesses.
Q & A with Sr. Cynthia Mathew, who sheds light on India's Dalit at the UN
Sr. Cynthia Mathew had battled India's oppressive caste system in Bihar state for years before going to New York to work in the United Nations. The member of the Congregation of Jesus continues her fight for justice for Dalit. Since 2017, Mathew has been working toward innovative thinking on sustainable development with the Loreto Sisters, who have U.N. Economic and Social Council accreditation.
Faith-based groups address migration issues in Asia-Pacific region
Issues surrounding labor migration — such as the rights of migrant workers, high fees on wired remittances, and inconsistent policies across nations — were the focus of a recent three-day conference, "Migrant Workers: An Asian-Pacific Experience." The gathering in New Delhi drew 161 participants, mostly religious, from across Asia.