About Meerut Seva Samaj

Meerut Seva Samaj (MSS) is the registered official Social Service Society of the Catholic Diocese of Meerut, established in the year 1977 to outsource the social activities essential for the upliftment of the poor and deprived living in interior villages of the Diocese. MSS has been deliberately channelizing its resources to bring social reforms and transformation in the lives of the masses living in the darkness of unawareness, ignorance and exploitation by various animation work, capacity buildings, skills trainings, formation of groups and trainings. MSS has a Board of 11 members headed by the Bishop of Meerut as the President and a team of devoted social workers involved in achieving its aims.

History

MSS had its origin after long birth pangs due to charity and welfare approaches of development. Down through the years, our area in and around Meerut witnessed this 'band-aid' development which could not heal the wounds of exploitation, lopsided development and various discriminations. As a panacea to these age-old problems faced by the poorest people, our pioneers developed a vision for a new society based on justice, equality and fullness of life for all. Thus, the Meerut Seva Samaj (MSS) came into existence and got registered as a Social Service Society in July 1977.

Under the leadership of Most. Rev. Bp. Patrick Nair and Rev. Fr. Boerjia - then President and Director of the organization, the Society initiated Education on the lines of Paulo Friere and community health education in the target villages of Meerut District.

Slowly the organization took roots in the rich soil of western Uttar Pradesh and Uttrakhand (Meerut, Muzaffarnagar, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Baghpat, Shamli, Saharanpur, Amroha, Moradabad, Sambhal, Rampur, Dhampur Tehsil, Dehradun and Haridwar). We adopted villages for integrated development. Since 1985, people's organisation became the major thrust of the organisation where we focused on building 'social capital' and thereby the participation of people in development actions. All the principles of animation were followed in the formation of groups. With the help of many capacity-building exercises, we could elicit the collaboration of many more in the activities. Federation of groups became another thrust of the Organization whereby the village level organizations got linked up with block level and district level and then at the divisional level at the center. Office Bearers were elected and they undertook more responsibilities.

The role of MSS now is that of a co-worker and companion - ". In all the development actions, right from planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation, the policy of 'people first' has been followed. Now we participate in their programmes whereby we make ourselves available according to the convenience of the people - day or night, winter or summer, rain or drought.

It is in mutual collaboration and true partnership that we grow and flourish. We have proved it - Empowerment is possible: it is not a dream.