India: St. Vincent de Paul Society provides food aid to displaced families in Manipur

In collaboration with the Archdiocese of Imphal, the Catholic voluntary organization St. Vincent de Paul Society organized a food distribution drive on February 8 for marginalized and internally displaced families in S. Belpuan village, Manipur, India. 

Led by Brother Jude and Father Verghese Vellikakam, the Archdiocese's Vicar General and relief coordinator, along with local parish priests Father Samy and Father Mung, the initiative provided essential supplies—including rice, pulses (dal), onions, salt, and oil—valued at approximately US$ 4556.37.

The beneficiaries, Catholic families from St. Joseph’s Parish, Sugnu, were displaced by recent violence and had been residing in Lamka since May 2023.

As 50 households moved into newly built homes in Belpuan on January 10, 2025, they faced food shortages due to a lack of external assistance. 

In response to an urgent appeal from their parish priest, the St. Vincent de Paul Society swiftly mobilized emergency support. 

This effort is part of the Church’s commitment to aiding displaced communities, including a housing rehabilitation project to build 600 homes. 

The Society of Saint Vincent de Paul has been actively supporting affected families across Manipur, ensuring Catholic members are not left without assistance during these challenging times.

Since May 2023, ethnic violence between the Meiteis and Kuki-Zomi-Hmar groups in Manipur claimed as many as 2598 and displaced more than 59,000, besides the destruction of houses, churches, and hospitals.

In 1833, Saint Frédéric Ozanam and Emmanuel-Joseph Bailly de Surcy founded the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, an international voluntary organization in the Catholic Church, to help the poor. It is named after Saint Vincent de Paul, part of the global Vincentian Family of Catholic organizations.