Lavina D'Souza is a Canossian sister from Mumbai, India. Discontinuing her studies of aeronautical sciences, she entered God's service and received a postgraduate degree in social work. Her socio-pastoral work has been with the poor in the slums of Mumbai, and the tribal groups in the states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. In her present ministry as the director of the social center in Mumbai, she uses rights-based approaches in community development programs. She uses her experiences with women and children in presentations at national conferences across India, and has participated in the 2019 national consultation for women religious.
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Yearning eyes: the plight of the migrants in India
I caught the look of a migrant who was stranded in a Mumbai slum due to the lockdown. His eyes seemed to express resignation, perhaps to his plight as well as the complacency of the society around him.
Rehumanizing my attitudes toward transgender people
Being in the presence of transgender people made something shift inside me — from fear and avoidance to a rehumanizing of my attitudes, explained in three words: revaluing, resurfacing and refinding.
In India, scarcity is real and takes many forms
India extended its COVID-19 lockdown, and many took to the streets to find food. We organized food provisions to help. India has metric tons of food in storage, so what is the reality of this scarcity?
Sisters in India enkindle hope amid panic and tension
Our lives have paused and are at a standstill but our spirits are alive. We see glimmers of hope even amidst this crisis, and we see that giving hope is our new ministry.