Who We Are

PARAN (Pedagogy and Action for Rights of Adivasis in North Tamilnadu) began its work in the rural tribal village called Makkampalayam from 2012 onwards. Makkampalayam is a tribal village situated at Sathiyamangalam hills in Erode District. It is 52 km from Sathiyamangalam town. Jesuit Madurai Province began its mission in Makkampalayam by sending Fr. Baskar Antony S.J. in 2008-2009. He was followed by Fr. Arockiasamy S.J. in 2009-2010. From 2010 to 2012 Br. Christopher of Ooty diocese stayed at Makkampalayam and took care of the spiritual needs of the people. All these years, Makkampalayam was the substation of Gundry Parish. St. Antony, the Hermit’s Church, Makkampalayam was erected as a Parish on 4th June 2012 and given to Jesuits for a term of five years. Fr. Arockiasamy Antony S.J. was appointed as Parish Priest. Madurai Province decided to send a deacon every year to accompany the priest in Makkampalayam Mission. Fr. Philip Kumar S.J. worked in the mission for five years and brought changes in the lives of the Tribals.

Though the parish work is entrusted to the Jesuits by the Ooty diocese, the desire of the Jesuits behind taking up the parish is to work for Tribals in and around the parish territory. So eventually we divided our work in two kinds: Parish ministry and social work. The social action wing’s name is PARAN (Pedagogy and Action for Rights of Adivasis in North Tamilnadu). PARAN started to reach the tribal community from Kadambur, a tribal village which connects fifty villages in Kadambur Hills. Study centres were started in many villages. Now there are forty-five centres in and around Kadambur and Thalawadi areas. PARAN brought many tribal women under self-help groups. It is to empower women and create women leaders. At present, there are twenty-six PARAN self-help groups active in about twenty villages. Urali Makkal Sangam was registered and the community leaders are working for the welfare of the tribal people under this label.