Several unskilled/semi-skilled migrants come to Bangalore from various parts of India in search of jobs. Most of the migrant population work as helpers, security personnel, grocery sellers, and construction workers. They are often unfamiliar with the local language, cannot access medical care, bank services, food, and legal support, face alienation from the local society, and are exploited. To provide support services to these migrants, Karnataka Interstate Migrants Alliance for Transformation (KISMAT) was formed under the initiative of BREADS Bangalore.
KISMAT is the Migrant Help Desk (MHD) in Bangalore, which attempts to provide the marginalised migrant labour class a voice, restore their rights, ensure their welfare and entitlements, and enhance their living standards.
This MHD in Bangalore distributed grocery kits and COVID care kits to needy people in Sunny Layout and DGV Layout in KR Puram, Bangalore, on 21st June 2021. 70 grocery kits consisting of essential items like rice, oil, spices, dal, sugar, and tea powder were distributed to people (mainly construction workers from Tamil Nadu) and families who lost their jobs during this lockdown. The initiative was coordinated by Fr Deepu Poovathinkal SDB, Assistant Director, BREADS; Fr Francis Vattukulam SDB, Mission Procurator, Salesian Province of Bangalore; Mr. Shreeraj, Project Coordinator, KISMAT, and volunteers.
