India: Catholic Filmmaker and Philanthropist Promises School Bus for IDPs in Manipur

A Catholic filmmaker and philanthropist from Goa, Mr Severine Fernandes, has promised to donate a school bus to the Catholic Resettlement Centre at V. Munpi village, Churachandpur district, Manipur. He made the commitment on January 16, 2026, during his visit to the centre, which is home to Catholic internally displaced persons (IDPs) from St Joseph’s Parish, Sugnu (Singtom village), who were uprooted following ethnic violence in the state.

Under the initiative and support of the Archdiocese of Imphal, a total of 76 houses have been constructed at the resettlement centre to rehabilitate displaced Catholic families.

Mr Fernandes received a warm welcome from the IDP community, followed by a simple felicitation programme expressing the gratitude and hope of the displaced families. The event was attended by Fr Mark Aimeng, Associate Priest of St Mary’s Parish, Tuibuang; Fr Mung, Parish Priest of St Thomas Parish, Singngat; and Mr John Munluo, Chief of V. Munpi village, who generously provided land free of cost for the resettlement project. Parents and children from the centre were also present.

Delivering the welcome address, Fr Mark Aimeng thanked Mr Fernandes for his compassionate visit. Fr Mung also expressed heartfelt gratitude, particularly appreciating his journey from Goa to personally witness the suffering of those affected by the Manipur ethnic violence.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Fernandes shared a brief yet inspiring message: “I believe that without God’s plan, nothing can succeed. I am here because of God, and I am here with God’s plan.”

It was shared during the programme that Mr Fernandes has already sponsored the education of more than 72 children from the IDP community.

One of the children courageously recounted the hardships of living amid the ongoing conflict and appealed for help in securing a school bus, as the school is located far from the resettlement centre.

Deeply moved by the children’s determination to pursue education, Mr Fernandes was visibly emotional and immediately promised to provide a school bus for the centre. He assured the community that arrangements would be made soon and encouraged everyone to persevere in prayer, especially the Rosary.

He reminded the gathering that while drawing closer to God may bring challenges, faith must remain strong. Though they had lost their homes, he said, their lives had been spared—a sign that God continues to walk with them.

In a personal sharing, Mr Fernandes spoke about his own childhood marked by extreme poverty, when even a daily meal was uncertain. He recalled how his mother taught him to trust in prayer and never lose faith. Today, a civil engineer and film producer, he remains deeply grateful to the Catholic priests who supported his education and guided him during difficult times.

He concluded by urging the students to pursue their studies not only for personal success, but to become instruments of hope and service for others.