Guwahati: “You created my inmost self, and I am wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:13).This verse begs for an affirmation. Historically, the third gender community believes that they have borne the weight of the cross each time when humanity did not consider them as one of God’s creation.
The life of Hijira/kinner community in the slums of Guwahati in Assam is indeed miserable. They find their way to survive in the society. As per the census of 2011, there are 11,374 transgender people and 1,348 children in Assam. In Guwahati alone, about 2,000 people belong to this community. Since 2016, Sr. Prema Chowallur of Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod began working for this community.
Her passion saw the ostracized and voiceless, who were marginalised for the past several years, gain respect. However, even today, people from this community are forced to beg, as the society does not wish to employ them. Therefore, they remain behind the walls of the cities. They are also pushed into prostitution because it is a safe haven and it provides them some economic stability. With the main objective of mainstreaming the third gender from the backyards of skyscraper buildings and slums of metropolitan cities to the front yards of the cities, Sr. Prema plan began to take shape.
This led to a relentless search for a home for the Trans people. The apartment owners turned the sisters away several times, however it never disappointed them. When the lockdown hit the country in March last year, it came in as a blessing in disguise for Sr. Prema; the owners were now willing to rent out their apartments in Guwahati.
Sensing an opportunity, the ‘Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters’ (RHoSS) initiative was inaugurated on 2 June 2021 at Christianbasti, Guwahati.
The first cradle of this shelter home was at the Delegation House of the Sisters, at Joypur, which began as an emergency shelter for transgenders on 4 May 2021. The centre sheltered the Trans people who were sent out of their homes and empowered them with soft and life skills such as ornament making, certificate course of embroidery and tailoring, beautician and designing courses.
The newly inaugurated RHoSS Centre aims to prevent and combat begging and sex work by the kinner community in future. The centre plans to admit Trans children who face conflicting situation in both schools and families by giving them good education and a bright and safe future.
Speaking about the initiative, Sr. Prema Chowallur said, “This is the call of the Church today, to work for the rejected, discarded and marginalised, if we value life.” She also added that it would be a good thing if Christians were to raise a voice for the lives of transgender who are denigrated, denied and disrespected by all sectors of society She expressed dismay that many abort the fetus as soon as the scan shows that it is a girl baby or a baby of differently abled or a baby whose genital organs are not so distinguished and clear.
She is happy that her congregation supports her totally towards this move both financial, material and human resources. During the inauguration of Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters (RHoSS), her provincial Sr. Annie Varghese said, “It is a proud moment for the Sisters of the Cross of Chavanod and very especially for the Province of Guwahati. This is the fruit of a collective long search, discernment of the congregation and the outcome of our inexorable exploration of possibilities to move forward in line with the call of the Church to leave behind our comfort zones in order to walk towards the periphery. Realizing the importance to reach out to those marginalized, vulnerable, victims of human trafficking, migrants and the third gender, the Congregation and the Province have come forward joyfully to give a ray of hope by sheltering the culturally marginalised, socially discarded and ostracized by families.”
She added that the germination of this project took place many years back. Sr. Prema kept knocking and sought approval of the Congregation and the Province to make her dream of having a home for the transgender a reality. The sisters then collectively decided to give dignity to those who were forced to leave their homes and live in the slums of cities.
This is a trajectory less travelled by the church although Jesus had shown the path to go to the outcast by going to the Samaritan woman at the well for a sip of water. “The transgender community is one that to be listened and heard, accepted and loved, embraced and brought back to the society,” said Sr. Prema. “You are a Crown of Beauty and a Royal diadem in the hand of our Lord…” (Is: 62:3-4).
The Rainbow Home of Seven Sisters hopes to remain as a ray of hope and a sign of God’s Love for humanity especially for transgender community.
Fr. Owen Chourappa SJ, a practicing lawyer as well as the Director of LCHR who blessed RHoSS said that he had a great desire to start a centre for transgender people, but he could not take it forward. He is happy to see the Rainbow Home for Trans community started close to his institute by the Sisters of the Cross.
Mr. Sandillya Dulal Goswami, a friend and well-wisher said, “Sr. Prema will not give up until she accomplishes her objective. Her persistent and inexorable search for a space to shelter the Transgender community proved this to me.” He added that this is a very rare work which none wishes to do in the society. But he is happy that the Catholic Church of Guwahati Archdiocese has approved this ministry and the sisters initiated and made it a reality where the shattered, broken and homeless can find a home.”
The words of Cardinal Wilton Gregory are indeed a balm for many transgender people. At a Theology on Tap session in August 2019, he responded to a transgender man by saying: “You belong to the heart of this church. There is nothing that you may do, may say, that will rip you from the heart of this church.”
Pope Francis once told Sr. Astorga, who stated a home for Transgender people in the year 2020 in Argentina, that the transgender people are “the lepers of today” and he urged the nun to carry on her work.
Sr. Prema believes that the openness and readiness of the Archdiocese of Guwahati to contextualize theology and to accept and support new ventures is to be lauded.