Sister Judith Shadap, a 65-year-old Catholic nun from India's Northeast, was recently honoured by the state of Tripura for her work in women's empowerment at the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, North East Festival 2022.
Sister Judith is a social worker and the founder and executive director of Women for Integrated Sustainable Empowerment (WISE) in Shillong. She is a native of the Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya.
Sister Judith of Our Lady of Missions, Meghalaya, has won numerous honours for her efforts to help women in tough situations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi began the Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, a 75-week spectacular festival to commemorate India's 75th anniversary of independence.
The Social Welfare Department of the Government of Meghalaya selected Sister Judith for the honor. A certificate, a parchment scrolls, and a memento were presented to her. Tripura Rural Livelihood Mission arranged the event as part of the 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' as part of the 'Role of Women in the Development of North East' programme.
Judith Sister Shadap said, “My social service activities started from Shillong when I joined the 'Bosco Reach Out’ as Head of Women’s Desk actively promoting Self Help Groups in the remote villages of Meghalaya to spread awareness and sensitisation programmes.”
Sister Judith added, “For over two decades WISE provides alternative means of livelihood and support to the school drop-out girls, domestic workers, single mothers and women in difficult circumstances, through the vocational skills training in various trades in both urban and rural areas.”
Sister Judith was an educator with 12 years of experience teaching in Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions congregation schools in Meghalaya. She was also involved in health, social awareness, and spiritual well-being education. She coordinated six national integration camps in the North Eastern Region while working as a consultant for the Functional Vocational Training Forum.
Sister Judith also organised and led skills training on a variety of income-generating activities, such as tailoring, fast food, pickle making, mushroom cultivation, and livestock rearing, to assist poor women in improving their standard of living and, more importantly, establishing a sustainable livelihood.
Sister Judith participated actively in the Legal Literacy Campaign, hosted Legal Aid Seminars on Women's Rights, and gave workshops and seminars on development and self-help group promotion for NGOs, voluntary organisations, and government officials.
On numerous development programmes, she also conducted a lot of networking with local panchayats, village headmen, and block authorities. Sister Judith continues to provide care for convicts at the Shillong District Jail and juvenile home through a variety of initiatives aimed at assisting their transformation and reform.
