Father Staney D’Almeda, a Catholic priest working with the Organization for the Development of People (ODP) in Mysore, India, is pictured during the Coady International Institute’s Welcome Social with Peter Gosbee, Grand Knight of the Msgr. Hugh MacPherson Council 14596. D’Almeda is the recipient of the Knights of Columbus Scholarship. (Contributed photo)

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Knowledge is power.
That’s the belief of Father Staney D’Almeda who is currently studying at the Coady International Institute.
D’Almeda is a Catholic priest working with the Organization for the Development of People (ODP) in Mysore, India.
D’Almeda said his organization’s coverage area included 447 villages and 88 urban slums and town.
“We believe that knowledge is power,” he said. “By giving them knowledge and power we make them more empowered.”
He added the organization’s programs are inspired by Christian values, especially peace, justice and brotherhood.
ODP is currently running about 30 programs, D’Almeda said, with the main focus on women, the marginalized and children and youth.
“I’m working as assistant director of the organization so I take care of administration of the personnel, finance and programs ongoing in the organization.”
D’Almeda said he has been with ODP for six years and it is his second appointment after his ordination.
Prior to working with ODP he worked in a small parish.
“The vision of [ODP] is to establish a society of love, peace and justice,” he said. “The mission is to restore human dignity to the poor, marginalized through change in attitude and value system.”
Having so many programs in so many communities is quite a challenge, D’Almeda said.
“Each district is unique,” he said.
“You have very dry areas where natural resource management is highly required and you areas where natural resources are quite high.”
He stressed the importanance the organization is placing on empowering the women of these communities.
“We have today around 40,000 women in different groups in four districts.”
OPD has five subcommittees on education, health, leadership, environment and finance.
“Most organizations give priority to the financial implications. In our organization we also give the financial implications but [people] should be given more education, there should be environmental and health concerns.”
D’Almeda said he has been aware of the Coady International Institute for some time because the founding director of ODP, Father Becket D’Souza, is a Coady graduate.
“After he graduated he established my organization, one of the most credible NGOs in my state. Today ODP is known in the state because of his leadership.”
D’Almeda said D’Souza valued his time and teachings at the Coady and encouraged him to attend.
“He said ‘you will really understand the different perspectives of leadership and the different cultural backgrounds to become a global leader.’”
The experience so far at the Coady has been inspiring, D’Almeda said.
“You see the social concern that people have, the respect and dignity, and at the same time concern for the environment.”
When he goes back to India his teachings at Coady will be an asset, D’Almeda said.
“Presently we are having almost 30 different programs in these 447 villages. These kinds of awareness programs and capacity building can be definitely given to those people. My dream is that these places should be brought into the scale of Canada.
“The leadership qualities, the knowledge and the skills, whatever I learn here at the Coady, that is going to help not only me, all these leaders and potential leaders.”
D’Almeda added he is grateful to have received sponsorship through the Knights of Columbus.