Rongmei Naga Baptist Association celebrates 37 years of service

Our Correspondent

Imphal, Oct. 26 (EMN): Rongmei Naga Baptist Association (RNBA) celebrated 37 years of service under relief and development of the people of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland at Tarung in Imphal on Wednesday.

Manipur Education minister Th Basanta Singh, Tamenglong MLA  Janghemlung Panmei; State Mission Director N Bandana Devi of  Manipur Rural State Livelihood Mission(MRSLM) were present during the day’s event, which also saw the launch of the organisation’s collaboration with Veddis Foundation to implement MRSLM in the districts of Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Senapati and Imphal East.

Speaking on the occasion, Education Minister Basantakumar who also holds Law and Legislative Affairs portfolio said, “I was not aware about the humongous works of this organisation, it has many significant collaborations with donors like NABARD, Azim Premji Foundation, Veddis Foundation, Bread for the World, Germany and others. These donors have come to RNBA because there is work, sustainable efforts and credibility of 37 years.”

He also urged the gathering to avail popular state health schemes, Chief Minister-gi Hakshelgi Tengbang and learn local languages with stipend under the local language training programme.

In his speech, the Executive Director, NesDi-RNBA, Dimgong Rongmei, said, “It is with great pride that we observe today as our 37th year of existence with the theme ‘Celebrating the Past for a Glorious Future’. We wish to learn from our past — both mistakes and successes — and move towards a glorious, successful future where we can imagine development for and with the most marginalised and oppressed people of Manipur.”

The non-profit and non-governmental organisation has been able to work with more than 350 villages across 16 districts in the states of Manipur, Assam and Nagaland in providing immediate relief, and development in the areas of livelihood, capacity building, land rights, Natural Resource Management or nature-based solutions. The organisation has impacted more than 6 lakh people with direct beneficiaries being more than 1.5 lakh people.