Reaching out to those in greater need has been in the DNA of CWS from its very inception. Being true to its tradition, CWS has ventured into a new territory this year- of migrants. Odisha is a migrant sending state. There are lot of people from Odisha working as migrant labourers in the unorganised sector of the economy in different parts of India. They are neither very educated nor technically skilled. Their jobs can be hazardous, working conditions harsh, living conditions miserable, job security scarce and salaries low. Covid pandemic showed that nobody is certain even about the exact number of migrant labourers working in the unorganised sector. CWS has opened the Migrants Help Desk (MHD) to serve the migrants from Odisha working in different parts of India in the unorganized sector of the economy. Our aim is to make the life of the migrants safe, secure, and just to the best possible extent and network with other NGOs to help the migrants when they face problems.

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We want to work with people who have already migrated and those who are planning to migrate in search of jobs. We have started a survey to come into contact with people who have migrated. We plan to cover 4000 migrants under this survey. In the beginning the survey will focus on areas in Sundergarh district with large migrant population. Later on it will cover other adjoining districts.

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The survey is conducted with the help of religious leaders, panchayat authorities, community elders, influential leaders and anganwadi workers of a locality. We have already surveyed 1251 migrants from 23 places. We get the phone number of migrants who are surveyed and encourage them to become members of whatsapp group of their locality. Eight such groups have been formed for Bihabandh, Kahupani, Kusumdegi, Tangrain, Jhirpani, Nuagaon, Bondamunda and Barilapta.

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MHD has a dedicated phone number to answer the queries of migrants and to help them in times of trouble. We have received calls about migrants who have gone missing. Where even the police are helpless, there is little MHD can do to help the family people to trace their missing members. But when it is a question of harassment or above MHD is able to help such migrants with the help of NGOs working in their locality.

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